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

A lot of the time, Deadline first exclusively breaks news that disperses to other outlets and, eventually, social media. — The Deadline Team, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026 Tommy breaks them out by using Vision as a battering ram, but Paladin is waiting outside to blast Vision with a shotgun full of adamantium rounds. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026 That's a slightly different approach from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which breaks that broad area into two regions. — CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 Samsara Eco develops enzymatic recycling technology that breaks polyester and nylon 6,6 into monomers, which can then be used to make new polymers. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 What happens if something breaks while the truck is moving at highway speed? — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 That rhythm breaks when Santosh, her lover and a fellow migrant worker, is killed in a truck accident while on duty in his booth. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 If a state purchases manufactured drugs on the black market, which comes at a huge markup, that breaks pharmaceutical company distribution controls. — Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Walter Payton breaks Jim Brown’s career rushing mark of 12,312 yards and Brown’s career mark of 58 100-yard rushing games in a 20-7 victory over New Orleans. — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Noun

If price breaks above $600, shares clear a major hurdle and a quick pop — driven by a short squeeze and fast money playing the breakout — could follow. — Jay Woods, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 The 22-dish menu runs nearly three hours and is deliberately less intense than Anand's Thailand flagship, with a page of house rules on phone use and smoke breaks handed out before the welcome drink. — Karina Acharya, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026 The prototype was tested on one construction worker during normal activities, including movement, breaks, drinking water and eating. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 Sandy Powell, who is in the film, became a celebrated costume designer, and one of her first breaks was through Derek’s films. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 As a shrinking-violet housewife who comes alive under the magic of live theater in The Debut, Moore was the toast of Telluride, to the point where screenings of the film regularly received mid-movie applause breaks. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 For 10 years, the first $200 million would go to reimburse local governments for property tax breaks for seniors. — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 Raising your devices, taking movement breaks, supporting your back and stretching throughout the day do much more to reduce strain in the first place. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 Other incentives contemplated include a special 1% sales tax district in the project area and sales tax breaks on construction materials, city documents show. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks

Verb

Haidt argues that social media disrupts kids’ social and neurological development, contributing to rising anxiety and depression through sleep loss, fragmented attention, addiction, loneliness, social comparison and perfectionism.

— Ari Lightman, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
Washingtonâ€™s policy â€œis more about visibility and narrativeâ€¦ than one that genuinely disrupts organized crime,â€� an expert told The Wall Street Journal.

— Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of disrupts

Verb

That could keep prices elevated long after the shooting stops.

— Heather Occhino, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
When a character stops acting on behalf of himself and instead makes a choice to act on behalf of the welfare of another person, the story suddenly evokes a sheaf of nobler feelings.

— Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of stops

Verb

Billable hour pressure The billable hour is central to the business model of many law firms, but when AI significantly reduces the time lawyers spend sifting through and drafting documents, the economics are no longer so straightforward.

— Lindsay Dodgson, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
It can also be equipped with an SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) system that reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by up to 70 percent to meet IMO Tier III regulations.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 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 new spending comes as the group pauses ads in Georgia and North Carolina, states where Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Roy Cooper are favored to win.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026
By default, the right earbud plays and pauses with a single tap, skips to the next track with a double tap, and turns the volume up with a tap-and-hold.

— Christian de Looper, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of pauses

Verb

KaVontae Turpin makes a defender miss in the open field on third down, picks up the first, and Williams plows it in for the TD.

— Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of plows

Verb

In their eyes, this policy violates their First Amendment rights, and the Sheley's have joined the federal case challenging the state's requirements.

— Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
While a judge recently ruled that the question had to stay on the ballot, the court has not ruled on whether the deal violates the city’s own charter, which requires a fair market-value proposal.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of violates

Verb

Piping it straight to nearby buildings works beautifully in February, but solves nothing in July.

— Moones Alamooti, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Today’s Theme Everyone solves crosswords differently, and there’s no specific order you’re meant to solve in; do what works best for you.

— Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026