BREAKS Synonyms: 709 Similar and Opposite Words

breaks 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of break

as in disrupts

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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as in stops

to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the final vote broke the deadlock

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as in reduces

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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as in deciphers

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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as in pauses

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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as in plows

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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as in violates

to fail to keep had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone

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as in solves

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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as in damages

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of I broke a tooth on the hard candy

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as in dies

to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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starts (up)

as in retreats

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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as in wears

to use up all the physical energy of the trek up the mountain just about broke me

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as in circulates

to become known as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country

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as in bankrupts

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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as in begins

to come into existence the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking

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as in veers

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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straightens

as in lowers

to diminish the price or value of distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks

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as in exceeds

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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as in surfaces

to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

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breaks

2 of 2

noun

plural of break

as in lulls

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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as in vacations

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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as in gaps

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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as in opportunities

a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place in classic fashion, her big break came when, as an understudy, she took over for an ailing star

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as in accidents

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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as in escapes

the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement a desperate break from that hellhole

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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 breaks

Verb

Per the synopsis, the arrival of Ema’s niece, Julie, and the murder of three local teenagers trigger a strange phenomenon that breaks the fragile balance between the living and the dead. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026 Still, with the general momentum from the summer, industry analysts expect that 2026 could finally be the year that the domestic box office breaks $10 billion, a milestone that hasn’t been reached since before the pandemic. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026 The award, which is bittersweet unto itself, breaks a record once set by Reiner’s own father, Carl, marking the longest span of years between acting wins. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 As dawn breaks over the misty mangrove creeks winding through Bhitarkanika National Park, the calls of kingfishers and Brahminy kites fill the silence. — Kalpana Sunder, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2026 This keeps the meat tender during the short cook time while a vigorous stir breaks it down into chunky, satisfying bits. — Kendra Vaculin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Sep. 2026 Maro’s meltdown continues out on the street after the heel of one of her leopard-print shoes breaks. — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026 The move publicly challenges the accuracy of the state’s death determinations in an extraordinary move that breaks precedent that states are the arbiters of case and death determinations, not the CDC. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 According to Rehberger, a terminal operator who shows up when something breaks, handles the paperwork, and keeps machines generating revenue tends to hold onto locations in a way that an initial pitch alone cannot replicate. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Noun

Is there an argument to be made that John Schneider is doing an amazing job this year amid injuries, tough breaks and high expectations from the Jays faithful? — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 With a solid 120-hertz refresh rate, gaming during breaks feels as smooth as ever. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026 Playa Guiones is one of the most consistent beach breaks on the planet, and there are dozens of surf schools, camps, and a variety of waves for beginners to experts. — Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026 Teaching students to actively hunt for where logic breaks turns them from passive consumers into sharp, critical evaluators of AI systems. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026 The state has committed hundreds of millions of dollars to the project, and the county is offering $175 million in property tax breaks over the next thirty years. — Yunus Emre Tozal, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 The threat of shattered glass if the bottle breaks, the subsequent odor suffusing all the items in your carryon, liquids seeping dangerously close to electronics—none of it sounds like a good idea. — Chloe Schama, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026 If your washing machine breaks or there is a leak in your ceiling, your landlord will be responsible for paying to replace it or fix the problem. — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 Festivalgoers were never forced to choose between artists, as sets were separated by 10-minute breaks, preventing overlap. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks

Verb

But anything that disrupts the unfussy, uncomplicated energy of this adult drama would likely torpedo the whole enterprise.

— Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Stiltgrass spreads quickly, outcompetes native plants, and disrupts ecosystems by reducing biodiversity.

— Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of disrupts

Verb

In terms of hardware, the iPhone Duo comes with Apple’s upgraded A20 Pro chip, the company’s in-house C2 cellular modem, a 48-megapixel camera, and a nanotexture finish on its display that reduces glare and reflections.

— Emma Roth, The Verge, 9 Sep. 2026
Whether the strategy reduces graft is a live debate — Singapore is third-lowest of 182 countries on one index, but Hong Kong, with much lower pay, also scores well.

— Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of reduces

Verb

Qualcomm’s chip can run Linux, along with Arduino software, and can even do computer vision, which deciphers what a camera sees and translates it into software.

— Kif Leswing, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
With that base knowledge and his opponent’s game tape, Nolan analyzes wide receiver alignments and deciphers the offense's attack.

— Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Sep. 2025

Definition of deciphers

Verb

The conversation pauses every few moments to let a J, M, or Z train lumber loudly past us, but also because Green is someone who chooses her words with great care.

— Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026
Both major candidates in the governor’s race embracing pauses on new data center developments is a likely reflection of Michigan voters' views on the facilities.

— Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of pauses

Verb

Every year, our planet plows through this stream of cometary material, causing tiny fragments — many no larger than a grain of sand — to slam into Earth's atmosphere at around 133,000 mph (214,000 km/h).

— Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Meteor showers tend to put on dazzling celestial shows and happen at predictable times every year when the Earth plows through trails of debris left behind by comets and, sometimes, asteroids.

— Adithi Ramakrishnan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of plows

Verb

Conservative legal organization America First Legal filed the complaint on Shirley’s behalf, seeking relief on claims that the bill violates Shirley’s right to free speech under the First Amendment.

— Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026
The suit joins others from various states arguing that this use of the SAVE program violates both acts.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of violates

Verb

View gallery - 4 images Draco, DwarfLab's new smart telescope, solves deep-sky astrophotography's oldest headache with a sensor that physically spins to cancel out star trails caused by Earth's rotation.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2026
Speeding up experimental work This assembly line setup solves a major engineering limitation in fusion research.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026