break
noun
1. some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
- there was a break in the action when a player was hurt
Similar word(s): interruption
Definition categories: event, happening, occurrence, occurrent
2. an unexpected piece of good luck
- he finally got his big break
Definition categories: event, accident, fortuity, stroke
3. (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
Similar word(s): fault, faulting, fracture, shift
Definition categories: object, cleft, crack, crevice, fissure, scissure
4. a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
- they hoped to avoid a break in relations
Similar word(s): breach, rift, rupture, severance
Definition categories: event, breakup, detachment, separation
5. a pause from doing something (as work)
- we took a 10-minute break
Similar word(s): recess, respite
Definition categories: act, pause
6. the act of breaking something
- the breakage was unavoidable
Similar word(s): breakage, breaking
Definition categories: act
7. a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
Similar word(s): intermission, interruption, pause, suspension
Definition categories: time, interval
8. breaking of hard tissue such as bone
- the break seems to have been caused by a fall
Similar word(s): fracture
Definition categories: state, harm, hurt, injury, trauma
9. the occurrence of breaking
- the break in the dam threatened the valley
Definition categories: event, breakup, detachment, separation
10. an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)
- then there was a break in her voice
Definition categories: event, alteration, change, modification
11. the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
Definition categories: act, shot, stroke
12. (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
- he was up two breaks in the second set
Definition categories: act, score
13. an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
- it was presented without commercial breaks
Similar word(s): disruption, gap, interruption
Definition categories: act, delay, holdup
14. a sudden dash
- he made a break for the open door
Definition categories: act, dash, sprint
15. any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
- the break in the eighth frame cost him the match
Definition categories: act, score
16. an escape from jail
- the breakout was carefully planned
Similar word(s): breakout, jailbreak
Definition categories: act, escape, flight
Sentences with break as a noun:
- The femur has a clean break and so should heal easily.
- The sun came out in a break in the clouds.
- He waited minutes for a break in the traffic to cross the highway.
- The fiddle break was amazing; it was a pity the singer came back in on the wrong note.
- Let’s take a five-minute break.
- I think we need a break.
- daybreak
- at the break of day
- make a break for it
- make a break for the door
- It was a clean break.
- prison break
- The final break in the Greenmount area is Kirra Point.
- a weekend break on the Isle of Wight
verb
1. terminate
- break a lucky streak
- break the cycle of poverty
Similar word(s): interrupt
Definition categories: change, end, terminate
2. become separated into pieces or fragments
Similar word(s): separate
Definition categories: change
3. render inoperable or ineffective
Definition categories: change, damage
4. ruin completely
Similar word(s): bust
Definition categories: contact, destroy, ruin
5. destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
Definition categories: change, divide, separate
6. act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
- break a law
- break a promise
Similar word(s): breach, infract, offend, transgress, violate
Definition categories: social, disrespect
7. move away or escape suddenly
- Nobody can break out--this prison is high security
Definition categories: motion, escape
8. scatter or part
Definition categories: motion, disperse, dissipate, scatter
9. force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
- break into tears
Definition categories: emotion
10. prevent completion
- break off the negotiations
Similar word(s): discontinue, stop
Definition categories: change, end, terminate
11. enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
Definition categories: social, intrude, trespass
12. make submissive, obedient, or useful
- The horse was tough to break
Definition categories: change, domesticate, domesticise, domesticize, reclaim, tame
13. fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
Similar word(s): violate
Definition categories: stative
14. surpass in excellence
- break a record
Similar word(s): better
Definition categories: competition, exceed, outdo, outgo, outmatch, outperform, outstrip, surmount, surpass
15. make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
Similar word(s): disclose, discover, divulge, expose, reveal, uncover, unwrap
Definition categories: communication, tell
16. come into being
Definition categories: change, become, get, go
17. stop operating or functioning
Similar word(s): die, fail, go
Definition categories: change
18. interrupt a continued activity
Definition categories: social, break, part, separate, split
19. make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
Definition categories: motion, flee, fly
20. curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
Definition categories: motion, break, collapse, founder, give
21. lessen in force or effect
- break a fall
Similar word(s): damp, dampen, soften, weaken
Definition categories: change, blunt, deaden
22. be broken in
- If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress
Definition categories: change
23. come to an end
Definition categories: stative, cease, end, finish, stop, terminate
24. vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
Definition categories: stative, alter, change, vary
25. cause to give up a habit
Definition categories: stative
26. give up
- break cigarette smoking
Definition categories: stative, cease, discontinue, quit, stop
27. come forth or begin from a state of latency
Definition categories: stative, emerge
28. happen or take place
- Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months
Definition categories: social, hap, happen, occur, pass
29. cause the failure or ruin of
- This play will either make or break the playwright
Definition categories: social, ruin
30. invalidate by judicial action
Definition categories: social, annul, avoid, invalidate, nullify, quash, void
31. discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
Similar word(s): part, separate, split
Definition categories: social
32. assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
Similar word(s): bump, demote, relegate
Definition categories: social, assign, delegate, depute, designate
33. reduce to bankruptcy
- My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!
Similar word(s): bankrupt, ruin, smash
Definition categories: possession, impoverish
34. change directions suddenly
Definition categories: motion, change, shift, switch
35. emerge from the surface of a body of water
Definition categories: motion, appear
36. break down, literally or metaphorically
Similar word(s): collapse, founder, give
Definition categories: motion, change
37. do a break dance
- Kids were break-dancing at the street corner
Definition categories: motion, dance
38. exchange for smaller units of money
- I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy
Definition categories: contact, change, commute, convert, exchange
39. destroy the completeness of a set of related items
- The book dealer would not break the set
Definition categories: contact, alter, change, modify
40. make the opening shot that scatters the balls
Definition categories: contact, shoot
41. separate from a clinch, in boxing
Definition categories: contact, disunite, divide, part, separate
42. go to pieces
Definition categories: contact, crumble, decay, dilapidate
43. break a piece from a whole
- break a branch from a tree
Definition categories: contact, detach
44. become punctured or penetrated
Definition categories: contact
45. pierce or penetrate
Definition categories: contact, penetrate, perforate
46. be released or become known; of news
Definition categories: communication
47. cease an action temporarily
- let's break for lunch
Similar word(s): intermit, pause
Definition categories: communication, disrupt, interrupt
48. interrupt the flow of current in
- break a circuit
Definition categories: communication, disrupt, interrupt
49. undergo breaking
Definition categories: communication, diphthongise, diphthongize
50. find a flaw in
- break an alibi
- break down a proof
Definition categories: cognition, destroy, ruin
51. find the solution or key to
- break the code
Definition categories: cognition, lick, solve, work
52. change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
Definition categories: change, shift, switch
53. happen
Similar word(s): develop, recrudesce
Definition categories: change, hap, happen, occur, pass
54. become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
Definition categories: change
55. crack; of the male voice in puberty
- his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir
Definition categories: change, turn
56. fall sharply
Definition categories: change, decrease, diminish, fall, lessen
57. fracture a bone of
Similar word(s): fracture
Definition categories: body, injure, wound
58. diminish or discontinue abruptly
Definition categories: body, decrease, diminish, fall, lessen
59. weaken or destroy in spirit or body
Definition categories: body, weaken
Sentences with break as a verb:
- If the vase falls to the floor, it might break.
- Can you break a hundred-dollar bill for me?
- Interrogators have used many forms of torture to break prisoners of war.
- My heart is breaking.
- You have to break an elephant before you can use it as an animal of burden.
- The interrogator hoped to break her to get her testimony against her accomplices.
- I've got to break this habit I have of biting my nails.
- to break silence; to break one's sleep; to break one's journey
- When you go to Vancouver, promise me you won't break the law.
- break one's word
- Time travel would break the laws of physics.
- Letting white have three extra queens would break chess.
- Did you two break the trolley by racing with it?
- break a seal
- The forecast says the hot weather will break by midweek.
- The newsman wanted to break a big story, something that would make him famous.
- I don't know how to break this to you, but your cat is not coming back.
- In the latest breaking news...
- Things began breaking bad for him when his parents died.
- His voice breaks when he gets emotional.
- He needs to break serve to win the match.
- Is it your or my turn to break?
- The referee ordered the boxers to break the clinch.
- The cavalry were not able to break the British squares.
- to break flax
- to break into a run or gallop