1
as in stops
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
2
as in ends
to come to an end
talks between the two sides broke off when one began making unreasonable demands
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of breaks off
Mahama breaks off in exasperation.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
The scene where ‘80s teen Marty McFly borrows a scooter from a bewildered ‘50s kid and breaks off the handles to make a skateboard is one of the film’s most iconic moments.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
Second, the flowing glacier brings more ice forward to replace what breaks off, slowing the cliff’s inland retreat and making a chain reaction of cliff toppling less likely.
—Evan Howell, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
The scene where ‘80s teen Marty McFly borrows a scooter from a bewildered ‘50s kid and breaks off the handles to make a skateboard is one of the film’s most iconic moments.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
Second, the flowing glacier brings more ice forward to replace what breaks off, slowing the cliff’s inland retreat and making a chain reaction of cliff toppling less likely.
—Evan Howell, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks off
Verb
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For this reason, Yuen added, humidifiers can be particularly helpful for people who have a cold, asthma, or obstructive sleep apnea, which is when breathing starts and stops during sleep due to airway obstruction.—
Brian Mastroianni,
Health,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Additional stops to the itinerary are dropped and added at will.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The settlement ends litigation between Novartis, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, and the estate of Lacks, a mother who died of cervical cancer at age 31 and was buried in an unmarked grave.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
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When total lunar eclipses return The drought finally ends at the close of 2028, when the slow westward drift of the moon's orbital nodes brings full moons back into deeper alignment with Earth's shadow.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At that point the lines painted on the asphalt turn from cages into features of the landscape among many others, and the mysterious flying object ceases to be easily recognizable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Once the prisoner ceases his danse macabre, the crowd goes wild.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Once it is approved, the authorization is valid for two years or until a traveler’s passport expires if that occurs first.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
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Currently, nonrenewal notices must be sent at least 75 days before the policy expires.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The measure halts new admissions in rooms that already have two people; those already living in a room with three or four beds will not be forced to move.—
Jenna Carlesso,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2026
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Stanton demonstrates his battery by shorting the coils, which halts the pendulum due to the magnetic field’s braking effect.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Having flown with the team Monday for Tuesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the start of a trip that concludes Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers, the fourth-year forward returned to Miami on Tuesday due to what the team is listing as low-back tightness.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Feb. 2026
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Those decisions are expected by the end of June when the court’s term concludes, but could come as soon as this week when the justices release more decisions on Tuesday and Wednesday.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Turning your phone off or using airplane mode cuts off wireless communication while still allowing alarms to work.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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The drug cuts off access to vitamin A in the testes by blocking a receptor known as RAR alpha.—
Ana Castelain,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This winter drive passes through the Atlantic Flyway, so keep an eye out for overwintering dark-eyed juncos, evening grosbeaks, and purple finches.—
Skye Sherman,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Zach Werenski’s passes to Jack Hughes, who rips a shot past Canada’s goalie.—
Alex Connor,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaks off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaks%20off. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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