break 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈbrāk How to pronounce break (audio)
Definition of breaknext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to plow
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in to damage
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 to die
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
12
as in to wear
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 to circulate
to become known as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
14
as in to ruin
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts another bad investment could break him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
15
as in to begin
to come into existence the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
17
as in to depress
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 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

Synonyms & Similar Words
19
as in to surface
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

break

2 of 4

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in opportunity
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in escape
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement a desperate break from that hellhole

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

broke

3 of 4

adjective

as in poor
lacking money or material possessions too broke to afford even a used car

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

broke

4 of 4

verb (2)

past tense of break
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in violated
to fail to keep had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
19
as in surfaced
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 break
Verb
The lead secured, Switzerland shifted to a five-man midfield out of possession, snuffing out the space and challenging the Algerians to play through it, but Petkovic’s charges struggled to break their opponents down. — Reuters, NBC news, 3 July 2026 Historic heat Since Thursday, heat in the East has broken at least three dozen daily high temperature records, many warmest-low-temperature records as heat reached levels that some cities haven’t experienced in more than a decade. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Noun
Mauney, widely seen as the best rider of his generation and someone who braved the hardest bulls to ride, had to retire in 2023 after a neck break on a bull called Arctic Assassin. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 But this latest sign that Ohtani the unicorn is indeed human could prompt the Dodgers to have Ohtani skip his final pitching start before the All-Star break, which is currently scheduled for next Friday. — Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
Adjective
In Timon, by contrast, everything is a rush, everything is broke-off and confused, everything is hurtling through suffering towards oblivion. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 Three years into his term, America wasn't broke, but the stock market did experience some of its biggest single-day losses during the coronavirus pandemic. — Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
Verb
The theory is that the deluge, which broke January daily rainfall records for Sydney, flushed sewage and other waste into the nearby coastal waters, attracting baitfish, which in turn lured sharks closer to shore. — Sam Nichols, Scientific American, 8 July 2026 After the news broke, Tarrant County scrapped Cesar Chavez’s name from the official county holiday and replaced it with a generic name that still allowed county employees to have the day off. — Rachel Royster july 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
  1. disrupt
  2. stop
  3. reduce
  4. decipher
  5. pause
  6. plow
  7. violate
  8. solve
Verb
  • Even tiny electromagnetic disturbances can disrupt the quantum states that perform calculations, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the system.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • The decision severely hampered local planning for America’s 250th anniversary, disrupting history projects, museums and educational programs nationwide.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • During the war, as the death toll ticked upward in the enclave, search operations for bodies largely stopped, either because most heavy equipment was destroyed, fuel became scarce or many strike sites became inaccessible due to the fighting.
    — Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Curious passersby stopped throughout the day, gazing up at what used to be the Pfizer headquarters building.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Derived from a Central African shrub, the drug's ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings were uncovered by accident, when Howard Lotsof, a 19-year old addicted to heroin, tried ibogaine out of curiosity in 1962.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Displaying tactical discipline and superior talent, the English national team defeated Mexico 3-2 with a lineup reduced to 10 men on Sunday night.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • In 2023, the Vesuvius Challenge made its first award for deciphering the first letters, and the following year, the project awarded the grand prize of $700,000 for producing the first readable text.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
  • On Thursday, the University of Kentucky announced a new $1 million prize to anyone able to decipher a complete scroll, a feat the researchers once considered impossible, by June next year.
    — Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 26 June 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • Tehran has paused fragile negotiations with the US aimed at reaching a lasting deal to end their conflict during the multi-day funeral for Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike in February, on the first day of the war.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • The research that first inspired Ludivine and Romain’s was part of an effort called the Resilience Project, which was led by scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and has been paused for a number of years.
    — Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Definition of pause
Verb
  • Some tasks are dull on their own but easy to plow through with conversation around you.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
  • Tilling or plowing in the summer disturbs the soil's delicate ecosystem and exposes moist soil to rapid water loss.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
Definition of plow
Verb
  • Judge Sullivan concluded in his June 25 decision to order Blanche to release more information or explain himself that Blanche had likely violated the transparency law.
    — Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Guests were reportedly required to sign nondisclosure agreements before receiving any event details (although the NDAs were said not to have included any penalties for violating the terms).
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of violate
Verb
  • Now back in King’s Landing, Corlys is distracted at best, meeting with Rhaenyra’s small council to address the crown’s nonexistent funds — the latest on a long list of problems that need solving for the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
    — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • Proponents argue recordings would solve a long-standing crisis that leaves many proceedings with no verbatim record.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of solve

Phrases Containing break

Browse Nearby Words

breadths
break
breakable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on break

Nglish: Translation of break for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about break

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All