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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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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15
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
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Recent Examples of break
Matthew Kelly
updated June 15, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
And at that moment, my heart was broken.
—Sarah Sotoodeh , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
ABC News, 16 June 2026
This makes hydrogen attractive for vehicles that need long range and cannot afford long charging breaks.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
In other social media videos, Fischer can be seen base jumping enthusiastically from sheer cliffs with only a parachute to break his fall.
—Matthew Kelly
updated June 15, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
And at that moment, my heart was broken.
—Sarah Sotoodeh , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026
Noun
Charles scored the final seven points of the first half and went 5 of 7 from the floor overall with two 3-pointers for Golden State, helping the Valkyries build a 45-26 lead at the break.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
This makes hydrogen attractive for vehicles that need long range and cannot afford long charging breaks.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
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And of how Iran’s preparation for this World Cup has been disrupted, this is definitely among the more minor.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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In their letter, the senators cited the approaching El Niño — a periodic Pacific warming that disrupts weather patterns and supercharges marine heat waves — as evidence the cuts are particularly ill timed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Dallas Cowboys fans can stop wondering if George Pickens will be the latest holdout or hold in for the franchise because on Tuesday, the receiver cleared the air by reporting to mandatory minicamp.—
Briana Aldridge,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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This often meant that European nations recruited talented footballers from their former colonies to stop them from playing elsewhere.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
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The coronavirus vaccine reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events linked to covid-19 — strokes, heart attacks, and hospitalization from heart disease — by about 40 percent, according to a new study.—
Daniel Wu,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
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Consolidating multiple high-rate debts into a single loan with a lower interest rate can simplify the repayment process and lower your monthly costs, making your debt more manageable and reducing the likelihood of falling behind.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Verb
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This season, with a full deck of defensive backs — including rookies Will Lee and Zakee Wheatley — Evero will decipher his best secondary combinations.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2026
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Immigration experts who were trying to decipher the news said the memo was more nuanced, leading to confusion over what the change actually entailed.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Individuals at the ceremony should come to attention, salute, recite the Pledge of Allegiance or pause for a moment of silent reflection.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
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In the post-game interview, asked how the victory felt to share with his father, Brunson paused shaking his head, too overwhelmed to speak.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
Verb
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At a time when everyone else seems to be plowing full speed ahead into AI, Citi’s deliberative and centralized tech system might strike some as too conservative.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
16 June 2026
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Other companies are plowing forward where Monarch has failed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Joslin's lawsuit accuses the National Park Service, the Department of Interior and other defendants of constitutional violations, including violating Joslin’s right to free speech.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
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The 28-year-old was sentenced to prison time last year after violating the terms of her probation following a string of arrests.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Addressing reporters for the first time since The Associated Press projected a November runoff between her and Mayor Karen Bass, Raman said residents are losing faith in the city’s ability to solve even basic problems and are demanding a different approach.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
11 June 2026
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Making a neurological diagnosis feels like solving a mystery, and the diseases typically leave a trace.—
Adeline Goss,
New Yorker,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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