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

Anyone who breaks the rules could face a hefty fine. —

Briseida Holguin, CBS News, 8 May 2026 The ride starts once the bull’s shoulder or hip breaks the plane of the gate, and then the rider will try and hold on for eight seconds. —

Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026 Compost is that rich mixture of various nitrogen-rich materials — grass clippings, vegetable scraps, eggshells, tree leaves and more — after decomposition by microorganisms breaks them down. —

Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 The approach builds on a method that breaks large molecules into smaller, manageable clusters. —

Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 May 2026 However, visas and green cards can be revoked when a holder breaks the law. —

Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026 After a life on the sidelines, Mary breaks free from her family to embark on a journey of self-discovery outside of her sisters’ shadows. —

Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 May 2026 Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union breaks his world outdoor pole vault record and Seppo Raty of Finland smashes the world javelin record during the Toto International Super Track and Field Meet in Japan. —

Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026 The 28-year-old's absence breaks a four-year streak of attending the fashion spectacle dating back to 2022. —

Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 4 May 2026

Noun

Gauff, playing in her second consecutive Italian Open final, appeared in control of the match in the first set, leading 4-2 with chances to go up by two breaks of serve. —

Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 16 May 2026 Peaks, troughs, breaks, beginnings, and endings shape the quality of decisions. —

Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Most of the data is opaque—only 11 states disclose which companies receive the breaks. —

Jake Angelo, Fortune, 14 May 2026 Eddies downstream from peninsulas, brush tops, sunken trees, deep holes, and other current breaks are ideal. —

John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026 His exit comes despite MNUFC having two more games before the entire MLS breaks for the World Cup. —

Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026 Your bank learns those patterns, and travel breaks all of them at once. —

Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 8 May 2026 But molten rock flows through all of them, and eventually, something cracks, breaks, and explodes. —

Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026 What refineries and traders are willing to pay for oil swings wildly after news breaks about attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf or diplomacy talks stalling. —

Cathy Bussewitz, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks

Verb

Wildlife relies on predictable patterns of darkness and light for migration, breeding and hunting, and artificial light disrupts those cycles.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
Residents say another invasive plant, Eichhornia crassipes, which floats on the water’s surface, has long been present in the lagoon and also disrupts fishing and transport, though its impact has been less sudden.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 May 2026