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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break off
The woman received numerous unwanted phone calls and text messages from Moore after attempting to break off contact, according to the prosecution.
—
Austin Meek, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Parents should look for a toy that is sturdy and does not have too many small parts that can get lost or broken off.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
But during that process, part of the fishing gear broke off, along with the tracking buoy.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Perry broke off her long engagement to actor Orlando Bloom last year.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break off
Austin Meek, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
Parents should look for a toy that is sturdy and does not have too many small parts that can get lost or broken off.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
But during that process, part of the fishing gear broke off, along with the tracking buoy.
—Neal Riley, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Perry broke off her long engagement to actor Orlando Bloom last year.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break off
Verb
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But that didn’t stop her, and a few days later Waller was able to make contact with Huntington-Whiteley through another fashion influencer on Instagram – and the designer coat was successfully acquired.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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The officers provided first aid and attempted to stop the bleeding following the shooting, according to the agency.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tesla signaled a major shift in its business as CEO Elon Musk told investors the company will end production of its longest-running premium electric vehicles.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
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That lawsuit ended earlier this month after the immigrant detainee who filed the case agreed to be removed from the United States.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cardozo added that all milking operations have ceased, and some beef and non-lactating dairy cattle are still grazing.—
Richard Halstead,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Désirée Zamorano Writer and educator Désirée Zamorano recalls the intensity of the time surrounding the Eaton fire last year, bookended by political stress, which hasn’t ceased.—
Erica Zora Wrightson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And progressives also criticized Lamont in November for waiting until one week after food stamp benefits from Washington had expired — due to a temporary federal government shutdown — before agreeing to revive the assistance using state dollars.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
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The fate of hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants in the United States hangs in the balance, despite a federal judge’s injunction that stopped their immigration status from expiring.—
Philip Wang,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His transfer to the VA psychiatric facility was delayed until December because Taras’ arrest on federal charges halted proceedings in a state court plea agreement that would have allowed him to be admitted sooner.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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The lawsuit sought a quick order to halt the enforcement action or limit its scope.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the meantime, here are four things (there’s plenty more) to know about the globally renowned festival that concludes Sunday and the one headed to Colorado in January 2027.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Denver Post,
31 Jan. 2026
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As the Snake year concludes, releasing excess nervous energy becomes essential.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The approach can reduce the risk of injury, exhaustion and people quitting altogether, Stanford said.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Yet O'Hara, who in 1981 quit Saturday Night Live after one week, has earned a reputation as a performer who doesn't want to work.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Viktor Gyokeres’ access was cut off, and, save for a few long balls to Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal struggled to get past Chelsea’s final line.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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The Islamic Republic has shut down the internet and cut off telephone communications, paralyzing the country.—
Shahrnush Parsipur,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20off. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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