BREAKING OFF Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

breaking off

verb

present participle of break off

as in ending

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

as in stopping

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

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 breaking off Walker turned the corner around a defender near the sideline, breaking off a 76-yard run to get Kansas City near the Las Vegas goal line. — Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026 Experts believe Wednesday's mudslides and flash flooding across Nepal and China's Tibet region were caused by a large chunk of ice breaking off a glacier and falling into the Lhende Khola River. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The AccuWeather team will be looking for smaller storm cells breaking off of the main line, which would give them freedom to begin rotating and potentially spin off a tornado funnel. — Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026 Later videos appeared to show the top of the rocket breaking off in flight. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026 Now, though, some branches are breaking off. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 In November 1987, after breaking off her engagement with Estevez, Moore married Bruce in Las Vegas. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 21 June 2026 Work is continuing to try to stabilize the Pacifica Municipal Pier, which began cracking at its base on June 4 and is now in danger of breaking off and falling into the water. — John Ramos, CBS News, 16 June 2026 That trail of vaporizing particles breaking off the asteroid causes a bright streak of light across the sky called a meteor, or colloquially a shooting star. — Adam Lark, The Conversation, 16 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking off

Verb

The Justice Department has sued California and other states over their trans-inclusive sports policies, and successfully threatened large hospitals into ending gender-affirming care programs.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
All the Washington Commanders needed to do was spike the ball and kick a game-ending field goal in overtime.

— Jake Kauderer, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of ending

Verb

But Hurts threw incomplete on first down, wasting only four seconds and stopping the clock.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
The crackdown extended beyond the protest venue, with police stopping buses, cars and other vehicles at checkpoints on routes into the capital and searching for demonstrators.

— Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of stopping

Verb

With a pending lockout, expiring player contracts and possible retirements, who knows what the future will hold.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
With that temporary order expiring Tuesday, the judge issued a preliminary injunction that preserves the status quo indefinitely while the case is pending.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of expiring

Verb

Tensions peaked when a demonstrator threw a cup of blood from the spectators’ gallery onto the Senate floor, halting business for several hours before the bill passed.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Last week, a judge granted a preliminary injunction halting construction in the Big Bend area while a lawsuit against the project proceeds.

— Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of halting

Verb

Even if cooler heads had not quite prevailed by this point in the episode, the concluding plot twist would have forced matters in that direction.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Its two-day Filmmaker Forum, concluding today, lists regular registration at $125, including festival access.

— Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of concluding

Verb

Israel says commercial goods will no longer enter Gaza, cutting off a key source of food and shelter supplies as winter approaches for the roughly 2 million people in the territory.

— Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Deadhead blazing star during the growing season to encourage more flowering, but do not prune too soon, as cutting off the foliage may reduce next year’s blooms.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of cutting off

Verb

The episode isn’t quite done, despite leaving off on an explosive note.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
This does have the effect of, at times, including star NHL players while leaving off players who are still in the minors and have a chance to make the league.

— Corey Pronman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025