Synonyms of break
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as in to disrupt 
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as in to stop
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as in to reduce
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as in to decipher
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as in to pause
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as in to plow
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as in to violate
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as in to solve
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as in to damage
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as in to die
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as in to retreat
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as in to wear
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as in to circulate
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as in to ruin
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as in to begin
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as in to veer
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as in to depress
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as in to exceed
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as in to surface
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as in pause
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as in vacation
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as in gap
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as in opportunity
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as in accident
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as in escape
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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Related Articles
1
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase
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Relevance
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2
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
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3
as in to reduce
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander
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4
as in to decipher
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language
Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park mathematicians broke the Enigma code being used by the Nazis
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5
as in to pause
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity
she broke from her ruminations to find that it was already dinnertime
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6
7
as in to violate
to fail to keep
had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone
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8
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning
Professor Bates broke the problem when she realized that it was possible to synthesize the necessary compounds
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9
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
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10
as in to die
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
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11
as in to retreat
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the herd of gazelles broke when they saw the lions racing toward them from the ridge above
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12
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
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13
as in to circulate
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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as in to begin
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
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16
as in to veer
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
the running back broke to his left before running out of bounds
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17
as in to depress
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
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18
as in to exceed
to go beyond the limit of
a menu with prices that is likely to break the budgets of all but the wealthiest of diners
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1
as in pause
a momentary halt in an activity
there was a brief break after the first movement as the doors to the concert hall were opened and the latecomers were allowed in
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2
as in vacation
a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended
most of the students at the boarding school are going home for Christmas break
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3
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
the rancher repaired the break in the fence where the horse had gotten through
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4
5
as in accident
an unexpected benefit or advantage resulting from the uncertain course of events
a guy who just seems to get all the breaks in life
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6
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement
a desperate break from that hellhole
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of break
Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There were routes in which Brown broke inside, and a defender was awaiting.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Art De Roché, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Since returning from break, the Wave have won just once.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
After that, Alcaraz brought the hammer down with his otherwise impenetrable delivery, which was broken only three times across the tournament.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
There were routes in which Brown broke inside, and a defender was awaiting.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
While both players started two matches for their countries in this international break, Rice’s minute management is more important ahead of big matches.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Since returning from break, the Wave have won just once.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
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At the same time, concern is growing about how certain food additives and preservatives may disrupt the gut’s delicate balance.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
9 Sep. 2025
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Anders is disrupting financial services.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nothing better than putting down the top and driving beautiful roads just after the rain stops and the air is powerfully charged by the nearby ocean, scrubbed clean.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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In fact, water levels at Lake Powell, one of the main water storage reservoirs for the Colorado River Basin, could fall low enough to stop hydropower generation at the reservoir by December 2026, according to the NOAA report.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His team accused Whatley of distorting the facts to cover for his support of federal policies that reduced funding for local police.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
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Valentino has been streamlining its wholesale channel, reduced by about 20 percent in 2024, a strategy that continued in 2025 and that is expected to impact its year-end performance.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Teams of researchers are trying to use AI to decipher these rumbles.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
7 Sep. 2025
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Researchers from each, plus the United States, were attempting to decipher the challenges presented by opposing either a regime or a decaying democracy.—
Ron Scherf,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Justice Department had asked the high court to pause a judge's order that the administration release the foreign aid.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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In this article, Bloomberg has some really nice country-specific data, cleanly displayed, with the option to check whether those tariffs which have been imposed, announced, threatened, paused or removed.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Coach Matt Rhule’s third team adopted a more mature approach, evidenced against Akron as Nebraska plowed through an opportunity to lose its intensity while playing with a big lead in the second half.—
Mitch Sherman,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Farmers plowed up lead and iron shrapnel and even whole hand grenades by the pallet every harvest season.—
Michael Jerome Plunkett
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Polish airspace was violated by at least 19 Russian drones overnight, the country's prime minister said, in a torrent of activity that triggered a response from the NATO country's air force, which scrambled and downed several of the drones.—
Will Gretsky,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
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In a 21-page ruling, Talwani found that ICE holding an 18-year-old migrant arrested on charges of shoplifting without a bond hearing violated his due process rights.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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New technology can solve crimes faster, safer, and less expensively than ever before.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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In this case, just adding one molecule at the interface solved a problem that’s been blocking dual-function indoor devices for years.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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