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break
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- pronunciation:
- breIk
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
- phrases:
- break down, break in, break into, break off, break out, break the bank, break up, give (someone) a break
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Homophone Note, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
breaks, breaking, broke, broken |
| definition 1: |
to cause to separate suddenly or forcefully into pieces.
He broke the dry branch with his foot and threw the pieces onto the campfire.I broke the plate when I dropped it in the sink.
- synonyms:
- demolish, shatter, smash, snap
- similar words:
- burst, clip, crash, crush, fracture, fragment, grind, mangle, mash, mince, part, pulverize, rend, rift, rupture, splinter, split, sunder, tear
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| definition 2: |
to crack, destroy, or make inoperative or unusable.
He broke his computer when he spilled coffee on the keyboard.- synonyms:
- demolish, destroy, ruin, shatter, wreck
- antonyms:
- mend
- similar words:
- annihilate, blast, bust, crack, crash, damage, mangle, total
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| definition 3: |
to forcefully tame or overcome the strength or resistance of.
With their cruelty, they broke the prisoner's spirit.The management broke the workers' strike.- synonyms:
- crush, defeat, overcome, quash, wreck
- similar words:
- annihilate, batter, bust, dash, demolish, frustrate, overpower, overwhelm, put down, stamp out, subdue, suppress, tame, thwart
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| definition 4: |
to move suddenly or forcefully out of; escape from.
Some prisoners were able to break jail.- synonyms:
- escape
- similar words:
- flee
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| definition 5: |
to end the sameness of; interrupt.
A change breaks the monotony.- synonyms:
- interrupt
- similar words:
- change, discontinue, disrupt, relieve, violate
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| definition 6: |
to make bankrupt.
The stock market crash utterly broke her father.- synonyms:
- bankrupt, bust
- similar words:
- cripple, impoverish, ruin
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| definition 7: |
to make known.
The newspapers broke the story in a special edition.Who will be the one to break the bad news to her?- synonyms:
- disclose, divulge, expose, reveal, uncover
- similar words:
- bare, betray
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| definition 8: |
to fail to act in accordance with.
He broke the law and now he's being punished.She broke her promise to share the money.- synonyms:
- breach, defy, disobey, infringe, transgress, violate
- antonyms:
- keep, observe
- similar words:
- contravene, disregard, neglect, oppose, shirk
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| definition 9: |
to soften the impact of.
He came off the roof, but the bushes broke his fall.- synonyms:
- cushion, soften
- similar words:
- check, lessen
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| definition 10: |
to outdo.
She may break the world record in this upcoming race.- synonyms:
- better, exceed, outdo, surpass, top
- similar words:
- beat, cap, eclipse, outstrip, overcome
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| related words: |
beggar, chink, crumb, gentle, give away, jam, kill, offend, part, section, separate, snap, spring, wring |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to become separated into pieces; shatter.
The cup fell to the floor and broke.The thin ice broke as the boy stepped on it.- synonyms:
- crack, shatter, smash, snap
- similar words:
- clip, crash, disintegrate, fracture, fragment, splinter, split, tear
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| definition 2: |
to become ruined or unusable.
Our old toaster finally broke, so we're getting a new one.- synonyms:
- collapse
- similar words:
- bust, crack, fail
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| definition 3: |
to burst or collapse.
Water pipes can break when the temperature drops below freezing.- synonyms:
- burst, collapse, rupture, split
- similar words:
- crash, explode, give
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| definition 4: |
to stop or disappear suddenly.
The fever has finally broken and the patient is more comfortable now.- synonyms:
- cease, check, halt, stop
- similar words:
- disappear, end, vanish
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| definition 5: |
to interrupt an activity for the purpose of resting or eating.
We started the meeting at nine o'clock and broke for lunch around noon. |
| definition 6: |
to suddenly erupt, as a storm.
When the thunderstorm broke, we headed as quickly as we could to shelter.- similar words:
- appear, burst, erupt, explode, happen, occur
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| definition 7: |
to come into public notice, as news.
When the frightening story broke, many people panicked.- similar words:
- emerge, transpire, unfold
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| definition 8: |
to move away suddenly and rapidly.
The deer broke from cover.The dog broke from its owner when it saw the rabbit.- synonyms:
- flee
- similar words:
- dash, escape, fly, fly the coop, move, run
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| definition 9: |
of a pitch in baseball, to curve.
The pitch seemed to break right over the plate.- synonyms:
- curve
- similar words:
- dip
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| related words: |
act up, burst, chip, cleave, damage, die, fold, give way, part, pause, snap, spring |
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| phrase: |
break down, break in, break into, break off, break out, break up |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
the act or result of breaking or separating into pieces.
The break in her wrist was serious and healed slowly.- synonyms:
- breach, fracture, smash
- similar words:
- chip, crack, cut, fissure, flaw, leak, rent, rift, rupture, slit, snap, splinter, split, tear
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| definition 2: |
a rapid movement away; escape.
The prisoner made a break for freedom.- synonyms:
- escape, flight
- similar words:
- run
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| definition 3: |
a suspending of activity; interruption.
There was a break in electrical service to our neighborhood that lasted six hours.The meeting was long but we took a few breaks.A break in peace negotiations occurred because of an attack on a village.- synonyms:
- discontinuance, hiatus, interruption, pause, suspension
- similar words:
- catch, cease, cessation, gap, halt, interlude, intermission, interval, recess, relaxation, respite, rest, stop, stoppage
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| definition 4: |
an opportunity.
The film was a big break for the actress, who now, of course, is a famous star.- synonyms:
- chance, opening, opportunity
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| definition 5: |
a severed connection.
A break occurred in their relations a year ago, and now the brothers never speak.- synonyms:
- breach, rift, separation, severance, split
- similar words:
- division, flaw, rent, rupture, schism
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| definition 6: |
a sudden change, as in pitch or direction.
We heard a break in his voice as he began the eulogy.- similar words:
- alteration, change, modification, modulation
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| definition 7: |
the first shot in a billiards game, which scatters the balls.
I retrieved the balls, since it was my turn for the break. |
| related words: |
breach, chasm, cleft, collapse, departure, layoff, lull, vacation, void |
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| phrase: |
break the bank, give (someone) a break |
| derivation: |
breakable (adj.) |
Are you looking for the word brake (a stopping device)? Break and brake sound alike but have different meanings.
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