Synonyms of break
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as in to disrupt 
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as in to stop
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as in to reduce
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as in to decipher
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as in to pause
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as in to plow
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as in to violate
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as in to solve
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as in to damage
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as in to die
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as in to retreat
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as in to wear
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as in to circulate
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as in to ruin
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as in to begin
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as in to veer
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as in to depress
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as in to exceed
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as in to surface
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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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as in pause
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as in vacation
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as in gap
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as in opportunity
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as in accident
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as in escape
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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Entries Near
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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
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2
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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9
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
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10
as in to die
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
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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
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12
as in to wear
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
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13
as in to circulate
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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14
15
as in to begin
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
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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
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17
as in to depress
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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6
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement
a desperate break from that hellhole
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stopping
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 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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
13
as in spreading
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
17
as in lowering
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 break
Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Didion broke barriers, refusing to feel remorse over valuing her career above all else and forging a language that can only be described as Didionesque.
—Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Harvard’s choice to fight back is a notable break from other major institutions, such as Columbia University, which in effect caved to Trump’s demands.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
Lacking a tie-breaking vote could delay action at the FTC, such as when the commission was divided over 7-Eleven’s $21 billion purchase of Speedway stores in 2021.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
Aaron Judge’s bat broke on a grounder to third base in the third inning.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Didion broke barriers, refusing to feel remorse over valuing her career above all else and forging a language that can only be described as Didionesque.
—Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
In another break from tradition, his burial will also not require the traditional three coffins consisting of cypress, lead and oak.
—Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Harvard’s choice to fight back is a notable break from other major institutions, such as Columbia University, which in effect caved to Trump’s demands.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
Without breaking stride, Hunter blew past four more Utah defenders and hopped into the end zone, a broken play transformed into a work of art.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
Lacking a tie-breaking vote could delay action at the FTC, such as when the commission was divided over 7-Eleven’s $21 billion purchase of Speedway stores in 2021.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Noun
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This marks the end of a yearslong pause that began at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
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Listen to this article The Adams administration’s move to put federal immigration authorities on Rikers Island is on pause, with a judge ruling Monday that the administration can’t take any steps towards a formal agreement until a court hearing later this week.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Frequent fliers and summer vacation hopefuls have been rushing to get one squared away before the nationwide travel mandate goes into effect.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2025
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With just about two more months of school left, families are in the midst of planning for childcare, summer camps, and vacations.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Assuming that the two indices continued to diverge by the current rate, the gap would only grow.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Next-Gen Anti-Ransomware Protection—Preemptive And Resilient Security Despite AV and EDR advancements, modern ransomware tactics—including encryption bypass and stealthy execution—continue to exploit gaps in endpoint defenses.—
Bob Kruse,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Junior colleagues working in hybrid settings may be missing out on these informal mentorship opportunities.—
Melissa A. Wheeler,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Kaepernick’s longtime girlfriend Nessa Diab revealed the former San Francisco 49ers star, who knelt during the national anthem in 2016 in protest of racial injustice in the U.S., is still training for an NFL opportunity.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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He was charged with reckless driving, evading responsibility involving property damage, improper passing, failure to drive in the proper lane, following too closely resulting in an accident and first-degree reckless endangerment.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2025
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Giuffre had been in a contentious divorce with her husband, Robert, and had recently been injured in a car accident in Australia.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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These products are elegant extensions of experience — products that allow guests to carry a piece of the escape into real life, while quietly reinforcing brand affinity in the most personal spaces.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Photo: Cesar Bejar Quinta Amores For those seeking a slower, softer version of San Miguel de Allende, Quinta Amores offers a hushed escape on the edge of town.—
Michaela Trimble,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There may be long lulls between meteors, so try to be patient between visible bursts of activity.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Harris Beach State Park, Oregon Beaches in the Pacific Northwest are less about idyllic lulls in the sand and instead emphasize the dramatic landscapes that make the region so well-loved by nature enthusiasts.—
Chloe Arrojado,
AFAR Media,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Everybody comes to New York as the number one place in the world for business, holidays, and shopping.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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The quake started at 12:49 p.m. Wednesday, a public holiday, when many children were out of school and celebrating in the streets of Istanbul.—
Suzan Fraser,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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