1
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the judge broke off court proceedings until after lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to end
to come to an end
talks between the two sides broke off when one began making unreasonable demands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break off
Their connection was so strong, Douglas broke off his engagement with Angeli and the two were married on May 29, 1954.
—
Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 31 May 2025
Both races will travel through Hillcrest, North Park and Normal Heights before the marathon breaks off from the half-marathon, event organizers said.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
About 100 people from a party broke off and went on a vandalism spree, Carranza said.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
The right engine, which had been on fire, had a broken fan blade and part of the exhaust system broke off and was found in a grassy field alongside I-95, near the flight path.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break off
Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 31 May 2025
Both races will travel through Hillcrest, North Park and Normal Heights before the marathon breaks off from the half-marathon, event organizers said.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
About 100 people from a party broke off and went on a vandalism spree, Carranza said.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
The right engine, which had been on fire, had a broken fan blade and part of the exhaust system broke off and was found in a grassy field alongside I-95, near the flight path.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break off
Verb
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On September 2, Border Force officers had stopped two women at London Stansted Airport.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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Goldman Sachs and Nasdaq have both stopped requiring companies using them for an IPO to have diverse board members.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
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But since the spring legislative session ended, Ford has had joint meetings with cannabis and hemp operators in an attempt to reach some compromise.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
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Since that two-year period ended this past March and was not renewed, Soliman is currently in the country illegally.—
The Editors,
National Review,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Trump signed an order May 2 directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease funding NPR and PBS.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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The company has ceased production and distribution of the products as FDA and the company continue their investigation to correct the issue with the manufacturer.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Verb
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The bill would renew a suite of tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year, including a set of research and investment-related tax deductions for businesses.—
Joseph Zeballos-Roig,
Quartz,
3 June 2025
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According to court documents, the employee fraudulently created a new medical marijuana card for herself after her card obtained in 2023 expired, KELO reported.—
Kate Linderman,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2025
Verb
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In fact, a 2019 Aflac survey of over 1,600 American adults found that 53% reported halting use of company products because of disliking a company’s stance on an issue.—
Lauren Howe,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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However, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., temporarily halted the federal trade court's decision, for now reinstating the levies imposed by the president under an emergency powers law.—
Joe Enoch,
CBS News,
9 June 2025
Verb
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Bowling Green concludes the regular season November 25 at UMass, the team’s only trip outside the region, though like the other 11 games is in the Eastern Time Zone.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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The Hurricanes conclude the 2025 season with a 35-27 overall record, including a 15-14 record in Atlantic Coast Conference play, and reached their first Super Regional since 2016.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Privately, the show’s lead actress, Emily Meade, threatened to quit.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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After being a successful child actor in the 1950s, Talbot quit acting at the age of 14.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Elon Musk suggests creating a new political party amid Trump rift Trump threatens to cut off Musk's subsidies.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 June 2025
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Trump countered by threatening to cut off government contracts given to Musk’s companies, paving the way for some MAGA acolytes to suggest other ways to exact pay back on Musk, who owns Tesla, SpaceX and X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20off. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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