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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Entries Near
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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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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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14
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of break
Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
As morning broke Monday, a drone hit a fuel tank near Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international passenger traffic, causing a large fire.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Above $190 and Nvidia is going to attempt a range break yet again that should target the mid-$200s.
—Todd Gordon, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
On a night safari in Botswana, for example, my heart broke as guides used mega-watt flashlights to show us hyenas, lions, and bush babies.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside, 16 Mar. 2026
As morning broke Monday, a drone hit a fuel tank near Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international passenger traffic, causing a large fire.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
Hamilton made all six of his first-half shots and scored 18 to guide Eastern Washington to a 46-32 lead at the break.
—ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Above $190 and Nvidia is going to attempt a range break yet again that should target the mid-$200s.
—Todd Gordon, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
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This illumination can temporarily blind the animals, leaving them more vulnerable while disrupting their natural habits.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
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At that point, the parasite disrupts brain regions that regulate circadian rhythm, causing patients to become sleepy during the day and awake at night.—
Fran Kritz,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kuemper stopped 21 shots for the Kings, who entered the night one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Rather than stopping disagreements from happening, this aspect is about repairing any damage left behind.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the kitchen, ingredients are sourced locally to reduce carbon footprint and maintain freshness.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
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To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Researchers using advanced imaging technology have deciphered 79 previously invisible inscriptions — including love notes, drawings of gladiators, and everyday messages — on a wall in the ancient city of Pompeii, offering a rare window into the lives of ordinary people nearly 2,000 years ago.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
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Using this method, researchers deciphered 79 additional inscriptions that had eluded scholars for generations.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Her paintings can be calming to one and all consuming to another, and her compositions encourage viewers to pause and question.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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Volunteers pause, slip off their shoes, and place their feet onto the earth.—
Abraham Nudelstejer,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The firestorm plowed through the Pacific Palisades and into Malibu, burning 23,400 acres and leveling more than 6,800 structures, including many homes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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The biggest spenders — Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and Meta — are projected to plow $618 billion combined into capital expenditures in 2026, up from $376 billion in 2025.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Airlines and their trade association argue that the Biden administration’s wheelchair regulations exceed the Department of Transportation’s statutory authority and violate the Administrative Procedure Act, claiming the requirements impose unreasonable burdens on air carriers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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Eleven people, including several sitting members of Bridgeport city council and the former vice chair of the city’s Democratic Party, are facing hundreds of state criminal charges for violating Connecticut’s absentee ballot laws during back-to-back mayoral elections in 2019 and 2023.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a briefing with reporters earlier, a Meta legal spokesperson said the company didn't believe that youth mental health struggles, both broadly and with Kaley specifically, could be solved through litigation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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To solve the problem, graduate student James Talavage and Professor Ou Ma designed a system called Dual-Arm Zero Momentum.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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