1
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the judge broke off court proceedings until after lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to end
to come to an end
talks between the two sides broke off when one began making unreasonable demands
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break off
The right wing then scraped the ground and broke off at the fuselage, releasing a cloud of jet fuel that caught fire as the airplane overturned and moved down the runway.
—
David Schaper, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025
Photos and video were also posted to social media showing pieces of the helicopter, including the rotor, appearing to break off before the body of the craft falls out of the sky into the water.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
The deep fake issue was broken off into a separate bill because lawmakers could not agree on all the aspects of a much larger, all-encompassing bill that would regulate the fast-developing world of artificial intelligence.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2025
But the Packers ranked 29th in kick returns, as teams were willing to give them those extra five yards on a touchback instead of risking Nixon breaking off a long return.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break off
David Schaper, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025
Photos and video were also posted to social media showing pieces of the helicopter, including the rotor, appearing to break off before the body of the craft falls out of the sky into the water.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
The deep fake issue was broken off into a separate bill because lawmakers could not agree on all the aspects of a much larger, all-encompassing bill that would regulate the fast-developing world of artificial intelligence.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2025
But the Packers ranked 29th in kick returns, as teams were willing to give them those extra five yards on a touchback instead of risking Nixon breaking off a long return.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break off
Verb
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The confrontation stopped and restarted as the man appeared to try to get the knife away from Perez over the fence.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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When the American money stopped flowing, the local soup kitchen closed and Ms. Musa went out searching for food.—
Declan Walsh,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Major automakers want Congress to bar California's landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035 that has been adopted by 11 other states, warning the rules could begin impacting vehicle shipments in a few months.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Though, of course, things didn’t end well for Antigone.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That shouldn’t be a surprise because the Packers would rather cease to exist as a franchise than draft an offensive lineman who can’t play at least three.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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Without these little guys and their fellow pollinators, our gardens would be devoid of fruit, our flowers would not spread, and many species that rely on them would cease to exist.—
Katie Akin,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The plan allegedly started in April 2022, after the IPO lockup period expired and despite advisor warnings, including one from a capital markets consultant that such a trading plan likely breached Backblaze’s fiduciary duties.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2025
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The approach, pushed by some Senate Republicans, would essentially count the 2017 tax cuts, which expire this year, as ongoing policy that doesn't cost anything to extend.—
Claudia Grisales,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Trump swipes courts for halting deportation agenda 2.—
FOXNews.com,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2025
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The sources said Unilever is threatening to halt the funding in retaliation for the lawsuit, and because one of the ice cream maker's founders has tried to buy back the frozen dessert maker.—
Jessica DiNapoli,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The video concludes as the officer handcuffs Battle.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
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This Wedding Banquet concludes with a scene of Angela, Lee, Min, and Chris jointly raising two children, the kid Angela had after a drunken fling with Chris and the one Lee had through the IVF that Min funded.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There are myriad, clear alcohol health risks that can be improved by quitting drinking altogether or lowering alcohol consumption.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Another member of Diddy’s defense team, Anthony Ricco, previously quit the case in February.—
Justin Curto,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Trump administration is cutting off the huge stream of data that's been feeding the nation's largest study of women's health, which has produced a series of landmark discoveries.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
23 Apr. 2025
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Trump briefly cut off aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, but resumed after Zelenskyy agreed to an immediate ceasefire, a call Putin has rebuffed.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20off. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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