breakdancing
noun
break·danc·ing
ˈbrāk-ˌdan(t)-siŋ
variants
or break dancing
or less commonly break-dancing
: a style of hip-hop dance in which soloists perform acrobatic moves that often involve touching various parts of the body (such as the back or head) to the ground
Breakdancing takes incredible athleticism and energy, but it's also personal and highly artistic …—Jessica Mason
The sweat suit became a B-boy uniform partly because disco gear did not lend itself to the gymnastics of break dancing.—Tony Karon
The Rock Steady Crew popularized break-dancing in the early 1980s, thanks to troupe member Richard Colón—dubbed "Crazy Legs" for his acrobatic feats.—Raquel Laneri
With enough space to move, dancers … combine hip-hop and breakdancing moves with their own variations to produce their own unique forms of movement.—Kevin Griffin
called also breakdance, breaking, B-boying
Cite this Entry
“Breakdancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breakdancing. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.
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