break 1 of 6

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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
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

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as in to die
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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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

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

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break

2 of 6

noun

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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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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

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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

broke

3 of 6

adjective (1)

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broke

5 of 6

verb (2)

past tense of break
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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

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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

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5
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
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as in died
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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

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broken

6 of 6

verb (3)

past participle of break
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3
as in degraded
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 cracked
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
6
as in raked
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 stalled
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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

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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 break
Verb
Aaron Judge’s bat broke on a grounder to third base in the third inning. Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025 Didion broke barriers, refusing to feel remorse over valuing her career above all else and forging a language that can only be described as Didionesque. Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
In another break from tradition, his burial will also not require the traditional three coffins consisting of cypress, lead and oak. Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025 Harvard’s choice to fight back is a notable break from other major institutions, such as Columbia University, which in effect caved to Trump’s demands. Niall Stanage, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
How To Die Alone followed Mel (Rothwell), a broke, fat, Black JFK airport employee who’s never been in love and forgotten how to dream, until an accidental brush with death catapults her on a journey to finally take flight and start living by any means necessary. Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2025 The immediate crisis has passed for the Isaac School District, and the Arizona State Board of Education awaits plans on what will likely be a years-long process to nurse the district back to fiscal health after going broke mid-school year. Jeremy Duda, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
The city’s growth has far outpaced the existing sewage treatment plants, and inadequate and broken facilities spew waste into the river, polluting the water and air in Imperial Beach and other communities near the border. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025 Conservators will continue to restore and fit together its broken murals, in an effort to see more of the villa’s rich decoration. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 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
Verb
Buffalo’s season is all but over, and the team has looked broken. Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 When the pot was broken, the gifts would spill out, acting as an offering to Huitzilopochtli. Monica Navarro, The Arizona Republic, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Noun
  • This marks the end of a yearslong pause that began at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Listen to this article The Adams administration’s move to put federal immigration authorities on Rikers Island is on pause, with a judge ruling Monday that the administration can’t take any steps towards a formal agreement until a court hearing later this week.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Frequent fliers and summer vacation hopefuls have been rushing to get one squared away before the nationwide travel mandate goes into effect.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2025
  • With just about two more months of school left, families are in the midst of planning for childcare, summer camps, and vacations.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Assuming that the two indices continued to diverge by the current rate, the gap would only grow.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Next-Gen Anti-Ransomware Protection—Preemptive And Resilient Security Despite AV and EDR advancements, modern ransomware tactics—including encryption bypass and stealthy execution—continue to exploit gaps in endpoint defenses.
    Bob Kruse, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Junior colleagues working in hybrid settings may be missing out on these informal mentorship opportunities.
    Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Kaepernick’s longtime girlfriend Nessa Diab revealed the former San Francisco 49ers star, who knelt during the national anthem in 2016 in protest of racial injustice in the U.S., is still training for an NFL opportunity.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • He was charged with reckless driving, evading responsibility involving property damage, improper passing, failure to drive in the proper lane, following too closely resulting in an accident and first-degree reckless endangerment.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Giuffre had been in a contentious divorce with her husband, Robert, and had recently been injured in a car accident in Australia.
    Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These products are elegant extensions of experience — products that allow guests to carry a piece of the escape into real life, while quietly reinforcing brand affinity in the most personal spaces.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Photo: Cesar Bejar Quinta Amores For those seeking a slower, softer version of San Miguel de Allende, Quinta Amores offers a hushed escape on the edge of town.
    Michaela Trimble, Vogue, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • There may be long lulls between meteors, so try to be patient between visible bursts of activity.
    Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Harris Beach State Park, Oregon Beaches in the Pacific Northwest are less about idyllic lulls in the sand and instead emphasize the dramatic landscapes that make the region so well-loved by nature enthusiasts.
    Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Everybody comes to New York as the number one place in the world for business, holidays, and shopping.
    Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The quake started at 12:49 p.m. Wednesday, a public holiday, when many children were out of school and celebrating in the streets of Istanbul.
    Suzan Fraser, Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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