Synonyms of breaking
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as in disrupting 
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as in stopping
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as in reducing
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as in deciphering
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as in pausing
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as in plowing
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as in violating
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as in solving
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as in damaging
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as in dying
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as in retreating
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as in wearing
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as in spreading
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as in bankrupting
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as in originating
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as in veering
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as in lowering
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as in exceeding
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as in surfacing
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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Entries Near
1
as in disrupting
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 stopping
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
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3
as in reducing
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 deciphering
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 pausing
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
as in plowing
to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement
farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows
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7
as in violating
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 solving
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 damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
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10
as in dying
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
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11
as in retreating
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 wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
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13
as in spreading
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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14
as in bankrupting
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts
another bad investment could break him
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15
as in originating
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
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16
as in veering
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 lowering
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
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18
as in exceeding
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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19
as in surfacing
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below
dolphins were breaking all around the boat
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of breaking
But if Rubio is serious about breaking China's grip on critical minerals, his summit should devote equal attention to building up the secondary market for recycled materials.
—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The result is a supremely creamy sauce that clings to the chicken and mushrooms without breaking.
—Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Dante Motley covers breaking news for the American-Statesman.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
After speaking with first responders and breaking the tragic news to her loved ones, Alison also headed to Parkview.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The F-15s will now be used to support research flights of NASA's new X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet, an aircraft designed to fly at supersonic speeds without producing the thunderous sonic booms typically associated with breaking the sound barrier.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 27 Jan. 2026
While a pre-AI-era data center might have spanned 100,000 to 300,000 square feet in a single building located in a city, today’s mega AI data centers are breaking ground in Texas Hill Country, the Arizona desert, or the wilds of Wyoming.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 27 Jan. 2026
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The result is a supremely creamy sauce that clings to the chicken and mushrooms without breaking.
—Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Dante Motley covers breaking news for the American-Statesman.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
After speaking with first responders and breaking the tragic news to her loved ones, Alison also headed to Parkview.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The F-15s will now be used to support research flights of NASA's new X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet, an aircraft designed to fly at supersonic speeds without producing the thunderous sonic booms typically associated with breaking the sound barrier.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 27 Jan. 2026
While a pre-AI-era data center might have spanned 100,000 to 300,000 square feet in a single building located in a city, today’s mega AI data centers are breaking ground in Texas Hill Country, the Arizona desert, or the wilds of Wyoming.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking
Verb
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Prosecutors have accused them of civil rights violations for disrupting the Cities Church service.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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Wild weather is disrupting daily life — impacting homes, schools, and roadways.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The controversy began at the end of a planning and zoning meeting last Thursday, when the council member raised concerns about Border Patrol agents stopping people in the community.—
Anna McAllister,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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States such as Minnesota should also look to civil law as a basis for stopping baleful and unlawful ICE tactics.—
Aziz Huq,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Oatmeal specifically touts many benefits, including being a valuable source of numerous vitamins, antioxidants and fiber; moreover, studies indicate that the biochemical composition of the grain can help improve the gut microbiome in addition to reducing blood glucose levels as well.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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But since then, SpaceX too has worked on reducing the brightness of its satellites.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By building out a picture of the whales’ health, habits and diet, researchers are deciphering the many ways humans impact their lives and guiding conservation actions that may mean life or death for the orcas.—
Kelso Harper,
Scientific American,
16 Dec. 2025
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By uncovering these complex vocal structures, this research marks a crucial step in deciphering the meaning behind sperm whale communication.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
12 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Biotech company NTx Bio, also known as Nature’s Toolbox, is pausing its plans for a $31 million manufacturing plant in Plano, the company confirmed.—
Sasha Richie,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Some watched short-form videos while others thumbed through their feeds, pausing every so often to tap a like on a post.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Every public road has a local municipality in charge of plowing it.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The city's Streets Department said plowing and salting operations remain ongoing, with more than 200 dump trucks, excavators and loaders deployed across Philadelphia.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Private property owners may prohibit guns on their premises and direct anyone violating their rules to leave.—
Paul Kiefer,
jsonline.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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After being notified of the action, Musk’s company almost immediately countersued the conservative influencer, accusing her of violating the platform’s terms of service, which state any disputes with X must be brought in Texas.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Unlike classical supercomputers, which excel at simulations and data-heavy tasks, quantum computers operate on fundamentally different principles, enabling new approaches to solving problems that are considered impractical using traditional computing methods.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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His first series was about a talking police helicopter that helped a pair of cops, played by James Farentino and a very young Dana Carvey, who flew around solving crimes.—
Nell Freudenberger,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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