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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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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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

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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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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2
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
But that’s not the only thing forcing Li to break his mother’s decree. Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025 The district denied wrongdoing, but that investigation found the district broke the law and that the practice disproportionately affected Black and Latino students. Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 28 May 2025
Noun
Here’s a look at Tuesday, May 27, 2025 results for each game: Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 27 drawing 06-28-34-48-62, Mega Ball: 09 Need a break? Jay Cannon, USA Today, 27 May 2025 Chances arrived at both ends before the decisive moment, David Silva bouncing a close-range volley over the bar before the break, while Kenwyne Jones toe-poked a shot into a sprawling Joe Hart — Stoke’s only on-target attempt of the game. Thom Harris, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Adjective
The match-up broke ratings records, with nearly 128 million viewers tuning in, according to Nielsen. Judy Kurtz, The Hill, 26 Mar. 2025 Fake Wedding follows two broke singles who throw a fake wedding to cash in on the registry and the very real problems the make-believe couple encounters. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
As protesters attempted to stop the congressional certification of the 2020 presidential election, Babbitt was climbing through the broken window of a barricaded door to the Speaker’s Lobby when she was shot. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 May 2025 He was brought up for the minors on April 19, 2017 when Logan Forsythe suffered a broken toe when hit by a pitch. Los Angeles Times, 19 May 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
  • Storms in the area put the search on pause between 1:30 and 6 a.m. May 26, then crews resumed until Smith was found the next day, officials said.
    Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
  • What To Know Secretary of State Marco Rubio had signed and sent a diplomatic cable on Tuesday ordering the pause to student visa interviews and outlining a shift in vetting procedures.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • Compared to other vacations, cruises are relatively long and expensive and involve many more moving parts — from getting to the departure point to your stay onboard to visiting multiple ports of call (often in foreign countries).
    Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 1 June 2025
  • For many of us, summer vacation is an excuse to sleep in and enjoy the relaxed schedule that so often accompanies time away from school or work.
    Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • In addition to his recent deep dive into the 2023 porch footage, Torre has also been behind several bombshells dropped about Hudson and Belichick, who have a 49-year age gap.
    Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 23 May 2025
  • Room to grow is great, but if the gap is too big, you might be frustrated to not get anywhere close to 240 frames per second (fps) at 4K.
    Brad Bourque, Wired News, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • With today's vote in the Senate, Texas will lay the foundation for protecting women's spaces and opportunities.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
  • Riley took the opportunity to ask Pitt about the 8-year-long legal battle after his ex-wife, actress Angelina Jolie, first filed for divorce on Sept. 20, 2016.
    Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • Medical coverage $75,000 in emergency accident and sickness coverage $250,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage $750 in emergency dental treatment coverage Pre-existing conditions No coverage for pre-existing conditions within 60 days of your policy’s start date.
    Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 1 June 2025
  • Dogs can create traffic jams, cause (or worse, have) accidents in narrow aisles, and disrupt delicate plants on display.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • What was an escape turned into nine piano compositions made available on various platforms, including Spotify, after feedback on Instagram.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 22 May 2025
  • Boyd, 19, who was facing charges of second-degree murder before the escape, was the latest inmate captured.
    Peter D'Abrosca , Nate Foy, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • Fewer Roles And Longer Recruitment Processes The shift from the hiring highs of 2021 to today’s lull has been sharp.
    Nadia Edwards-Dashti, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • The shelter then faced a lull, as previous applicants had already adopted other pets in need, and no immediate matches surfaced that could suit Thor.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Now three years into its existence, the ways to honor this federal holiday are evolving – especially given rapid challenges to civil rights, social justice and how diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are being rolled back.
    Lisa Vernon Sparks, Charlotte Observer, 30 May 2025
  • From December’s average prices being close to $3 per gallon to rising to nearly $3.30 per gallon in the winter, fuel costs have increased and decreased many times since the Christmas holiday.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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