Synonyms of breaking
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as in disrupting 
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as in stopping
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as in reducing
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as in deciphering
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as in pausing
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as in plowing
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as in violating
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as in solving
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as in damaging
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as in dying
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as in retreating
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as in wearing
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as in spreading
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as in bankrupting
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as in originating
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as in veering
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as in lowering
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as in exceeding
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as in surfacing
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Example Sentences
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Phrases Containing
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Entries Near
1
as in disrupting
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 stopping
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
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3
as in reducing
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 deciphering
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 pausing
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 plowing
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
as in violating
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 solving
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 damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
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10
as in dying
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
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11
as in retreating
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 wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
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13
as in spreading
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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14
as in bankrupting
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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15
as in originating
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
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16
as in veering
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 lowering
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
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18
as in exceeding
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 surfacing
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below
dolphins were breaking all around the boat
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of breaking
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
—
Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
While Japan and China are already breaking speed records and bringing the technology to life, projects in the West are still struggling to deliver even conventional high-speed rail.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
—Greg Wehner , Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
This story is breaking and will be updated.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The new 12-night journey will launch in the summer of 2027 aboard the company's ice-breaking Le Commandant Charcot ship and is purposely designed to meet demand for a shorter cruise that still celebrates polar exploration, Ponant shared with Travel + Leisure.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
Japan’s Nikkei 225 also hit a fresh high Tuesday, breaking the 44,000 level, but gave up gains later in the session.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the proud mom swapped out her Facebook cover photo after the Super Bowl champion and the pop superstar announced their internet-breaking news.
—Sarah Jones, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Tim Stelloh Tim Stelloh is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2025
Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2025
While Japan and China are already breaking speed records and bringing the technology to life, projects in the West are still struggling to deliver even conventional high-speed rail.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
—Greg Wehner , Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2025
This story is breaking and will be updated.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The new 12-night journey will launch in the summer of 2027 aboard the company's ice-breaking Le Commandant Charcot ship and is purposely designed to meet demand for a shorter cruise that still celebrates polar exploration, Ponant shared with Travel + Leisure.
—Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
Japan’s Nikkei 225 also hit a fresh high Tuesday, breaking the 44,000 level, but gave up gains later in the session.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, the proud mom swapped out her Facebook cover photo after the Super Bowl champion and the pop superstar announced their internet-breaking news.
—Sarah Jones, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Tim Stelloh Tim Stelloh is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking
Verb
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Both sides dramatically hiked tariffs against each other during a months-long dispute earlier this year, disrupting global supply chains.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
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The importance of this ideological unity is all the more apparent as global conflicts intensify, disrupting global trade in the process.—
Koray Köse,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With conditions restored on the 236-meter flight deck, Barone made multiple warm-up passes to heat the SF90’s V8 engine and then launched from the aft end, stopping safely before ascending the ramp.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
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In 2020 and 2021, many endorsed the deplatforming of Covid skeptics and election conspiracy theorists, arguing that there was a public interest in stopping misinformation.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The confirmation came just two days before the Fed is expected to vote on reducing its key interest rate.—
Adeola Adeosun
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Every action counts, whether reducing HFCs, investing in sustainable cooling, or holding governments accountable for climate commitments.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Though historians have called for further research before making claims, the proposal of a script rooted in sign language might open the chance to explore a new way of deciphering Mayan art and show the ancient civilization to be even more sophisticated and efficient than scholars even knew.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Sep. 2025
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Now, a team of international astronomers has succeeded in deciphering the gravitational wave signal, GW190412, to determine more about the collision and the resulting event that sent an infant black hole hurtling through space.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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What unlocks value is pausing to validate, listening closely, asking the right questions and aligning around the outcomes that matter most.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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This structure began with Bitcoin holding its late-August low, rallying, and then pausing—creating a possible right shoulder.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Producers are no longer plowing every spare dollar into drilling programs just to chase production growth.—
Robert Rapier,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The forum moderator then interjected and turned to Mike Hilborn, who said his commercial landlord recently raised the rent for his power washing and snow plowing company from $17,000 per month to $22,000 per month after showing him how property taxes had gone up for the building.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Now, the Federal Trade Commission and seven states are filing suit against the concert giant for allegedly violating the FTC Act and the Better Online Ticket Sales Act by knowingly collaborating with secondary market brokers to spike ticket prices.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
19 Sep. 2025
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Balanced disclosure requirements could provide necessary public information without unnecessarily violating personal privacy.—
Lynn Schmidt,
Twin Cities,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Texas law enforcement is asking for Colorado’s help solving the 1984 cold case murder of a 25-year-old woman.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
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Castlery’s brand promise is focused on solving real-life problems.—
Omaid Homayun,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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