breaking

Definition of breakingnext
present participle of break
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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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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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as in dying
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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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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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

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 breaking The planet’s oceans are at unprecedented temperatures for this time of year, breaking the all-time June record, according to new data, with alarming implications for global weather and marine life. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 1 July 2026 Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2026 This is a breaking news story that will be updated as more information becomes available. Riley Rourke, CBS News, 30 June 2026 After the set got to 3-3, with each player holding each of her first three serves, Joint won the next three games, breaking Serena once to take the first set. Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 Jacie Sellars is the morning breaking news reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Arkansas Online, 30 June 2026 Download the Star app on iOS or Android to get breaking news alerts. Sofi Zeman june 30, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026 To sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox, click here. Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 30 June 2026 Dennis Romero Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Dennis Romero, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking
Verb
  • Woods said a reading in line with expectations would likely keep markets focused on inflation and the Federal Reserve's policy path without disrupting the recent rally.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 29 June 2026
  • He’s flanked by more individually talented defenders than ever, with Cason Wallace disrupting ballhandlers and Alex Caruso as versatile as any of the team’s guard defenders.
    Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Technology led to the suspect's arrest Officers obtained doorbell camera footage, which showed a silver SUV stopping along a curb on Majors Choice Drive.
    Adam Thompson, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Its compact size and functional interior and exterior pockets will make zipping through airport security or stopping for gas on road trips a breeze — no more digging through disorganized totes to locate your wallet and phone.
    Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Manucurist formulates its masks with panthenol, a form of vitamin B5, to hydrate and strengthen dry nails over time, reducing breakage.
    Irene Richardson, InStyle, 4 July 2026
  • Even tiny electromagnetic disturbances can disrupt the quantum states that perform calculations, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the system.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • 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.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
  • Already, papyrologists are deciphering new texts that indicate other possible authors in the Herculaneum collection, including one of the leaders of the Stoic philosophy school.
    Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • After pausing for the intermission between the 15-minute extra time halves, Argentina found their footing again and once again took the lead.
    Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • In a joint opinion piece published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in late May, the two officials endorsed pausing the development of new data centers in Little Rock.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Tilling or plowing in the summer disturbs the soil's delicate ecosystem and exposes moist soil to rapid water loss.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
  • By plowing a chunk of their earnings into repurchases, the companies reduce the number of shares outstanding, which has the effect of boosting earnings per share and ultimately the stock price.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • Officials accused her in the letter of violating the university’s time, place and manner policy, which sets rules on free speech activities on campus.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • In March, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit against Kalshi for allegedly violating the state's Lawful Sports Betting Act by allowing residents to participate in sports betting under the form of trading event contracts.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • So solving the trade talent gap means producing more journeymen.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Nature, however, has been solving this problem for millions of years.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Breaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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