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 disrupted
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as in ended
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as in demoted
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as in deciphered
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as in paused
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as in plowed
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as in violated
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as in solved
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as in damaged
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as in died
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as in retreated
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as in wore
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as in circulated
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as in ruined
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as in began
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as in veered
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as in reduced
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as in exceeded
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as in surfaced
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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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as in impoverished
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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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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
too broke to afford even a used car
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disrupted
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 ended
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demoted
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deciphered
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 paused
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity
she broke from her ruminations to find that it was already dinnertime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in plowed
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 violated
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 solved
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 damaged
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in died
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in retreated
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 wore
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
13
as in circulated
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
as in ruined
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
15
as in began
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
16
as in veered
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
the running back broke to his left before running out of bounds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
17
as in reduced
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
18
as in exceeded
to go beyond the limit of
a menu with prices that is likely to break the budgets of all but the wealthiest of diners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of break
David Ferrini, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
The 30-year-old international affairs student wasn’t accused of breaking any laws during the protests at Columbia.
—Holly Ramer, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2025
That led to 16 points for Thursday's victors, who had a 22-point advantage at the break.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Besides her grief and anger, Cora is broke, insecure, living with a religious aunt and working as a crime scene cleaner, scraping away human remains for money.
—Gabino Iglesias, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024
But then the defense broke again on the Blue run.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
Barriers are indeed being broken, and with an eye on the future, rejuvenation of the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia could be next for the Lariani.
—David Ferrini, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
The 30-year-old international affairs student wasn’t accused of breaking any laws during the protests at Columbia.
—Holly Ramer, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
Noun
It’s nestled deep in the Legacy Garden and offers a break from walking while enjoying the outdoors.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2025
That led to 16 points for Thursday's victors, who had a 22-point advantage at the break.
—Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Adjective
Here, there’s a constant invitation to see events from a different perspective: the broke kid from the wrong side of the tracks who’s abandoned by his mom, or the nerdy outcast who plays video games and has a crush on the hottest girl in school.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Besides her grief and anger, Cora is broke, insecure, living with a religious aunt and working as a crime scene cleaner, scraping away human remains for money.
—Gabino Iglesias, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
After the news of Zuckerberg’s bunker broke, other one-percenters followed suit.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024
But then the defense broke again on the Blue run.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Noun
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The unanimous decision from the three-judge panel keeps a pause on a lower court’s temporary restraining order a week before that had directed the federal government to return control of Guard troops to Newsom.—
Daniel Hunt,
Sacbee.com,
20 June 2025
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Anything beyond this month’s No. 20 should at least create pause.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2025
Noun
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Madeleine was 3 years old when her family, parents Kate and Gerry McCann and 2-year-old twin siblings, left their home in the U.K. for a vacation in Praia da Luz, Portugal.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
24 June 2025
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Employees could use that personal leave as vacation time or bank the hours and cash out at retirement.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
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The larger the gaps, the faster the sucker will lose its grip.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 June 2025
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Also, keep an eye out for a long gap in reviews or ratings.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 June 2025
Noun
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Wright’s two-way intelligence and skating speed popped off the ice for Seattle this season, and hinted strongly at the sort of difference-maker that Wright has an opportunity to develop into in the years to come.—
The Athletic NHL Staff,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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Gilmore acknowledges the game isn’t the same now with name, image and likeness opportunities and, soon, direct payments to athletes becoming larger factors in putting together and keeping together a team.—
Eric Olson,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2025
Noun
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Domino Effect Prevention The domino effect prevention model suggests accidents result from interconnected events, each like a falling domino that sets off the next.—
Aleksandr Yampolskiy,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
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Reports soon emerged indicating Marte was in tears because of a fan yelling something to him about his late mother, who died in a car accident in 2017.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Authorities have arrested at least 16 people who are accused of aiding the escape of the inmates.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
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Sheriff Susan Hutson, whose department operates the jail and has faced intense scrutiny over the escapes, personally received the tip Friday morning that led to the arrest.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
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Known collectively as Hessians, since most Germans hired by London to fight in America came from Hesse-Kassel, this contingent was largely from the small, impoverished duchy of Brunswick, whose ruling family had intermarried with the British royal family.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
13 June 2025
Noun
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This buying lull echoes across the state and nation.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
18 June 2025
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Typical of fishing while anchored, there were occasional spurts of action followed by lulls.—
Brad Dokken,
Twin Cities,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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