Synonyms of break
-
as in to disrupt 
-
as in to stop
-
as in to reduce
-
as in to decipher
-
as in to pause
-
as in to plow
-
as in to violate
-
as in to solve
-
as in to damage
-
as in to die
-
as in to retreat
-
as in to wear
-
as in to circulate
-
as in to ruin
-
as in to begin
-
as in to veer
-
as in to depress
-
as in to exceed
-
as in to surface
-
as in pause
-
as in vacation
-
as in gap
-
as in opportunity
-
as in accident
-
as in escape
-
Example Sentences
-
Phrases Containing
-
Entries Near
-
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in to die
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
13
as in to circulate
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
15
as in to begin
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
17
as in to depress
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement
a desperate break from that hellhole
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of break
Sean Gregory, Time, 7 June 2025
Economists predicted that the United States would break free of its long-running housing slump in 2025.
—Luke Broadwater Eric Schmitt Glenn Thrush Abbie Vansickle, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 29 May 2025
Beyond the surf breaks and world-class sunsets, Hawaii has a complex story.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
Serving for the set at 5-4, Sabalenka couldn’t finish off Gauff, who saved two set points and finally broke Sabalenka on her fifth chance.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 7 June 2025
Economists predicted that the United States would break free of its long-running housing slump in 2025.
—Luke Broadwater Eric Schmitt Glenn Thrush Abbie Vansickle, New York Times, 7 June 2025
Noun
The Face the Nation preview was aired during the show, not during an advertising break.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 29 May 2025
Beyond the surf breaks and world-class sunsets, Hawaii has a complex story.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
-
The earthquake disrupted the World Series and damaged the Bay Bridge, Oakland’s Cypress Freeway, and swaths of San Francisco.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
-
Why disrupt a good thing by adding more and presumably inferior teams to the mix?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Nearly as important, though, is the fact that streaming continues to be a sizable fount of new viewers even after on-air and DVR viewing essentially stops.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2025
-
In 2012, the Premier League stopped awarding bottles of Champagne along with man of the match awards, out of respect for the religious beliefs of some players.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Verb
-
Here are recommendations for maintaining safety during a thunderstorm: To reduce the chance of being struck by lightning, when venturing outside, have a plan to get to a safer area.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2025
-
Empower fishing businesses to promote sustainable practices by eliminating overfishing, ending harmful fisheries subsidies globally, and reducing the sometimes destructive impacts of fisheries on marine habitats. 5.—
Marc Benioff,
Time,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
Sometimes, Tarhan explained, women will flip the cups over and try and try to decipher the meaning left behind by the coffee sediment — kind of like reading your fortune in tea leaves.—
Samantha Husted,
Charlotte Observer,
12 May 2025
-
Finally, Ross helps boost your energy intelligence to decipher when rest requires slowing down and when it’s achieved by accelerating in a new, reinvigorating direction.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
In a 2-to-1 decision on Friday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily paused a lower court’s order requiring the Trump White House to allow Associated Press reporters to participate in daily press events and presidential travel.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Woldenberg’s first response to the Liberation Day tariffs was to pause his plans to build a new warehouse.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
The sardine run in South Africa is perhaps the most cinematic — dolphins herding fish, sharks plowing through bait balls, birds raining from the sky.—
Rona Berg,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
Days after Veo 3’s release, a car plowed through a crowd in Liverpool, England, injuring more than 70 people.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
By crossing multiple red lines — violating Iran’s sovereignty, expanding extrajudicial killings, and striking nuclear, energy, and civilian infrastructure — Israel has drawn widespread ire.—
Faisal J. Abbas,
semafor.com,
17 June 2025
-
Seven residents sued, claiming that the book removals were based on content and therefore violated their First Amendment rights.—
Anthony Aycock
June 17,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2025
Verb
-
To be most successful, the company must continue to balance its expansion into solving ultra-difficult scientific and engineering challenges using its supercomputers with maintaining its stronghold in EDA for chip makers.—
Anshel Sag,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
No single solution can completely solve the cost challenges, but wind is the single biggest step forward Maryland can take to stabilize prices with a zero-fuel-cost energy source.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share