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 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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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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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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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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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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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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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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as in to begin
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
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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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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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break
Ben Noll,
Washington Post,
3 July 2026
When the Founders broke from the most powerful empire in the world, success was far from certain.
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Keith Krach,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2026
Other booths included photo opportunities dressed in traditional Colonial garb, hands-on historical exhibits and interactive displays that offered visitors a break from the oppressive heat.
—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Verb
From the Midwest to the East Coast, high temperature records have been broken or tied across 21 states since Wednesday, and the peak of the heat is still to come for the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
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Ben Noll,
Washington Post,
3 July 2026
When the Founders broke from the most powerful empire in the world, success was far from certain.
—
Keith Krach,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Noun
The Dodgers, however, could still decide to have Ohtani skip his last pitching start before the All-Star break.
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Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
5 July 2026
Other booths included photo opportunities dressed in traditional Colonial garb, hands-on historical exhibits and interactive displays that offered visitors a break from the oppressive heat.
—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break
Verb
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Even tiny electromagnetic disturbances can disrupt the quantum states that perform calculations, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the system.
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The decision severely hampered local planning for America’s 250th anniversary, disrupting history projects, museums and educational programs nationwide.
Verb
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When there was a pause in the action, referee Raphael Claus stopped the match to look at VAR to determine whether Balogun committed a foul worthy of a red card.
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Making new friends isn’t something that has to stop at a certain point in your life.
Verb
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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.
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Displaying tactical discipline and superior talent, the English national team defeated Mexico 3-2 with a lineup reduced to 10 men on Sunday night.
Verb
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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.
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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.
Verb
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Bachaud says those promises made without hard data to back them up give her reason to pause.
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The move prompted several lawsuits, and a federal judge last week paused the implementation of the lower limits while the cases work their way through the court system.
Verb
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Some tasks are dull on their own but easy to plow through with conversation around you.
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Tilling or plowing in the summer disturbs the soil's delicate ecosystem and exposes moist soil to rapid water loss.
Verb
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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.
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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).
Verb
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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.
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Proponents argue recordings would solve a long-standing crisis that leaves many proceedings with no verbatim record.
Cite this Entry
“Break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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