Break - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT break /breɪk/ /breɪk/ IPA guide

Other forms: broken; broke; breaking; breaks

When you break something, you ruin it. When you take a break, you stop and rest. If you play catch during your lunch break, try not to break any windows.

The verb break means to fracture or crack or destroy something while the noun refers to an interruption or a little time off. To "break the ice" is to warm up a conversation that's a little awkward or cold because the people involved don't know one another. In theater, the superstitious saying "break a leg" is a way of wishing "good luck" without jinxing someone — strange, but true.

Definitions of break

verb destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments “He broke the glass plate” “She broke the match” synonyms: come apart, fall apart, separate, split up become separated into pieces or fragments see moresee less types: show 6 types... hide 6 types... shatter cause to break into many pieces fracture break into pieces break in break so as to fall inward dash, smash break into pieces, as by striking or knocking over stave in break in the staves (of) blast, knock down shatter as if by explosion type of: divide, separate make a division or separation
verb weaken or destroy in spirit or body “His resistance was broken” “a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death” see moresee less type of: nerf, weaken lessen the strength of
verb destroy the completeness of a set of related items “The book dealer would not break the set” synonyms: break up see moresee less type of: alter, change, modify cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
verb break a piece from a whole “break a branch from a tree” synonyms: break off, snap off see moresee less type of: detach cause to become detached or separated; take off
verb fracture a bone of “I broke my foot while playing hockey” synonyms: fracture fracture break (a bone) see moresee less type of: injure, wound cause injuries or bodily harm to
verb become separated into pieces or fragments “The figurine broke” synonyms: come apart, fall apart, separate, split up see moresee less types: show 22 types... hide 22 types... break open, burst, split come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure puncture be pierced or punctured burst, bust break open or apart suddenly and forcefully smash break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow ladder, run come unraveled or undone as if by snagging crack, snap break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension break up, fragment, fragmentise, fragmentize break or cause to break into pieces crush become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure pop burst open with a sharp, explosive sound blow burst suddenly stave, stave in burst or force (a hole) into something atomise, atomize break up into small particles bray, comminute, crunch, grind, mash reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading pound break down and crush by beating, as with a pestle shatter break into many pieces sunder break apart or in two, using violence sliver, splinter break up into splinters or slivers rag break into lumps before sorting crumb break into crumbs brecciate break into breccia crush break into small pieces grate, grind make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together type of: change integrity change in physical make-up
verb scatter or part “The clouds broke after the heavy downpour” see moresee less type of: disperse, dissipate, scatter, spread out move away from each other
verb go to pieces “The lawn mower finally broke” synonyms: bust, fall apart, wear, wear out bust ruin completely see moresee less types: fray, frazzle wear away by rubbing type of: crumble, decay, dilapidate fall into decay or ruin
verb become fractured; break or crack on the surface only synonyms: check, crack check, chink make cracks or chinks in crack cause to become cracked see moresee less types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... crack break partially but keep its integrity chap crack due to dehydration craze develop a fine network of cracks alligator crack and acquire the appearance of alligator hide, as from weathering or improper application; of paint and varnishes type of: change undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
verb render inoperable or ineffective “You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!” synonyms: break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go bad stop operating or functioning see moresee less type of: damage inflict damage upon
verb cause the failure or ruin of “His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage” “This play will either make or break the playwright” see moresee less antonyms: make assure the success of type of: ruin destroy or cause to fail
verb ruin completely synonyms: bust bust, fall apart, wear, wear out go to pieces see moresee less antonyms: repair restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken types: break down cause to fall or collapse type of: destroy, ruin destroy completely; damage irreparably
verb reduce to bankruptcy “My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!” synonyms: bankrupt, ruin, smash see moresee less type of: impoverish make poor
verb invalidate by judicial action “The will was broken” see moresee less type of: annihilate, annul, avoid, invalidate, nullify, quash, void declare invalid
verb break down, literally or metaphorically “The dam broke” synonyms: cave in, collapse, fall in, founder, give, give way abandon, give up stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims burst, collapse cause to burst see moresee less types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... go off, implode burst inward buckle, crumple fold or collapse flop fall loosely sink, slide down, slump fall or sink heavily type of: change undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
verb fall sharply “stock prices broke” see moresee less type of: decrease, diminish, fall, lessen decrease in size, extent, or range
verb curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves “The surf broke” see moresee less type of: cave in, collapse, fall in, founder, give, give way break down, literally or metaphorically
verb act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises “break a law” “break a promise” synonyms: breach, go against, infract, offend, transgress, violate see moresee less antonyms: keep conform one's action or practice to types: show 7 types... hide 7 types... sin, transgress, trespass commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law blunder, boob, drop the ball, goof, sin commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake conflict, contravene, infringe, run afoul go against, as of rules and laws trespass break the law intrude, trespass enter unlawfully on someone's property fall yield to temptation or sin break in enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act type of: disrespect show a lack of respect for
verb fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns synonyms: go against, violate see moresee less types: fly in the face of, fly in the teeth of go against
verb make submissive, obedient, or useful “The horse was tough to break” “I broke in the new intern” synonyms: break in see moresee less type of: domesticate, domesticise, domesticize, reclaim, tame overcome the wildness of; make docile and tractable
verb be broken in “If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress” synonyms: break in make submissive, obedient, or useful see moresee less type of: change undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
verb assign to a lower position; reduce in rank “He was broken down to Sergeant” synonyms: bump, demote, kick downstairs, relegate see moresee less types: sideline remove from the center of activity or attention; place into an inferior position reduce bring to humbler or weaker state or condition type of: assign, delegate, depute, designate give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)
verb lessen in force or effect “break a fall” synonyms: damp, dampen, dilute, soften, weaken see moresee less types: deafen make soundproof damp, dampen, deaden make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible type of: blunt, deaden, zombify make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation
verb exchange for smaller units of money “I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy” synonyms: break up destroy the completeness of a set of related items see moresee less type of: change, commute, convert, exchange exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category
noun the act of breaking something synonyms: breakage, breaking see moresee less types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... rupture the act of making a sudden noisy break shattering, smashing the act of breaking something into small pieces crack, cracking, fracture the act of cracking something chip, chipping, splintering the act of chipping something type of: change of integrity the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something
noun the occurrence of breaking “the break in the dam threatened the valley” see moresee less types: snap a sudden breaking type of: breakup, detachment, separation coming apart
noun breaking of hard tissue such as bone “the break seems to have been caused by a fall” synonyms: fracture see moresee less types: show 12 types... hide 12 types... comminuted fracture fracture in which the bone is splintered or crushed complete fracture break involving the entire width of the bone compound fracture, open fracture bone fracture associated with lacerated soft tissue or an open wound compression fracture fracture in which the bone collapses (especially in short bones such as vertebrae) depressed fracture fracture of the skull where the bone is pushed in displaced fracture fracture in which the two ends of the broken bone are separated from one another fatigue fracture, stress fracture fracture resulting from excessive activity rather than a specific injury capillary fracture, hairline fracture a fracture without separation of the fragments and the line of the break being very thin incomplete fracture fracture that does not go across the entire width of the bone impacted fracture fracture in which one broken end is wedged into the other broken end closed fracture, simple fracture an uncomplicated fracture in which the broken bones to not pierce the skin greenstick fracture a partial fracture of a bone (usually in children); the bone is bent but broken on only one side type of: harm, hurt, injury, trauma any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
noun (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other synonyms: fault, faulting, fracture, geological fault, shift see moresee less examples: Denali Fault a major open geological fault in Alaska San Andreas Fault a major geological fault in California; runs from San Diego to San Francisco; the source of serious earthquakes types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... inclined fault a geological fault in which one side is above the other strike-slip fault a geological fault in which one of the adjacent surfaces appears to have moved horizontally common fault, gravity fault, normal fault an inclined fault in which the hanging wall appears to have slipped downward relative to the footwall overthrust fault, reverse fault, thrust fault a geological fault in which the upper side appears to have been pushed upward by compression type of: cleft, crack, crevice, fissure, scissure a long narrow opening
verb interrupt a continued activity “She had broken with the traditional patterns” synonyms: break away see moresee less type of: break up, part, separate, split, split up discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
verb come to an end “The heat wave finally broke yesterday” see moresee less type of: cease, end, finish, stop, terminate have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical
verb stop operating or functioning “The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town” “The coffee maker broke” synonyms: break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go bad buy the farm, cash in one's chips, choke, conk, croak, decease, die, drop dead, exit, expire, give-up the ghost, go, kick the bucket, pass, pass away, perish, pop off, snuff it pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life see moresee less types: show 5 types... hide 5 types... crash, go down stop operating blow, blow out, burn out melt, break, or become otherwise unusable misfire fail to fire or detonate glitch, malfunction, misfunction fail to function or function improperly jam get stuck and immobilized type of: change undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
verb terminate “break a lucky streak” “break the cycle of poverty” synonyms: interrupt see moresee less types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... hold on, stop stop and wait, as if awaiting further instructions or developments break off, break short, cut short interrupt before its natural or planned end freeze, suspend stop a process or a habit by imposing a freeze on it hang up interrupt a telephone conversation type of: end, terminate bring to an end or halt
verb prevent completion “break off the negotiations” synonyms: break off, discontinue, stop see moresee less types: show 15 types... hide 15 types... fracture become fractured bog, bog down get stuck while doing something break up, cut off, disrupt, interrupt make a break in cut, cut off cease, stop punctuate interrupt periodically put aside, put away turn away from and put aside, perhaps temporarily intermit, pause cease an action temporarily barge in, break in, butt in, chime in, chisel in, cut in, put in break into a conversation burst in on, burst upon spring suddenly heckle challenge aggressively come in, inject, interject, interpose, put in, throw in to insert between other elements block, jam interfere with or prevent the reception of signals stop, stop over interrupt a trip take off, take time off take time off from work; stop working temporarily interject speak abruptly, especially as an interruption type of: end, terminate bring to an end or halt
verb discontinue an association or relation; go different ways “The business partners broke over a tax question” synonyms: break up, part, separate, split, split up see moresee less types: show 7 types... hide 7 types... give the axe, give the bounce, give the gate terminate a relationship abruptly break apart, disunify break up or separate disaffiliate, disassociate, disjoint, dissociate, disunite, divorce break away from; stop having a relationship with break with end a relationship divorce, split up get a divorce; formally terminate a marriage break away, secede, splinter withdraw from an organization or communion break away interrupt a continued activity
verb cease an action temporarily “let's break for lunch” synonyms: intermit, pause see moresee less types: breathe, catch one's breath, rest, take a breather take a short break from one's activities in order to relax take five take a break for five minutes take ten take a ten minute break type of: break up, cut off, disrupt, interrupt make a break in
verb diminish or discontinue abruptly “The patient's fever broke last night” see moresee less type of: decrease, diminish, fall, lessen decrease in size, extent, or range
verb cause to give up a habit “She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes”
verb give up “break cigarette smoking” see moresee less type of: cease, discontinue, give up, lay off, quit, stop put an end to a state or an activity
verb vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity “The flat plain was broken by tall mesas” see moresee less type of: alter, change, vary become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
verb interrupt the flow of current in “break a circuit” see moresee less type of: break up, cut off, disrupt, interrupt make a break in
noun some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity “there was a break in the action when a player was hurt” see moresee less types: show 10 types... hide 10 types... dislocation, disruption an event that results in a displacement or discontinuity punctuation something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions abatement, hiatus, reprieve, respite, suspension an interruption in the intensity or amount of something eclipse, occultation the phenomenon when one celestial body obscures another defervescence abatement of a fever as indicated by a reduction in body temperature solar eclipse the moon interrupts light from the sun lunar eclipse the earth interrupts light shining on the moon total eclipse an eclipse as seen from a place where the eclipsed body is completely obscured partial eclipse an eclipse in which the eclipsed body is only partially obscured remission, remittal, subsidence an abatement in intensity or degree (as in the manifestations of a disease) type of: happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent an event that happens
noun an act or event that causes a delay or break in an ongoing process or activity “it was presented without commercial breaks” synonyms: disruption, gap, interruption see moresee less types: show 5 types... hide 5 types... cut-in, insert (film) a still picture that is introduced and that interrupts the action of a film cut-in, insert (broadcasting) a local announcement inserted into a network program interjection, interpellation, interpolation, interposition the action of interjecting or interposing an action or remark that interrupts abruption, breaking off an instance of sudden interruption barracking, heckling shouting to interrupt a speech with which you disagree type of: delay, holdup the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time
noun a time during which something is temporarily stopped or delayed synonyms: intermission, interruption, pause, suspension see moresee less types: show 13 types... hide 13 types... lapse a break or intermission in the occurrence of something blackout a suspension of radio or tv broadcasting caesura a pause or interruption (as in a conversation) dead air an inadvertent interruption in a broadcast during which there is no sound delay, hold, postponement, time lag, wait time during which some action is awaited halftime an intermission between the first and second half of a game relief, respite, rest, rest period a pause for relaxation time-out a brief suspension of play letup, lull a pause during which things are calm or activities are diminished extension a mutually agreed delay in the date set for the completion of a job or payment of a debt breath, breather, breathing place, breathing space, breathing spell, breathing time a short respite moratorium a legally authorized postponement before some obligation must be discharged retardation the extent to which something is delayed or held back type of: interval, time interval a definite length of time marked off by two instants
noun a pause from doing something (as work) “we took a 10-minute break” synonyms: recess, respite, time out see moresee less types: spring break a week or more of recess during the spring term at school recess a break in the school day for play or relaxation type of: pause temporary inactivity
noun a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions) “they hoped to avoid a break in relations” synonyms: breach, falling out, rift, rupture, severance see moresee less types: schism the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences type of: breakup, detachment, separation coming apart
verb become punctured or penetrated “The skin broke”
verb pierce or penetrate “The blade broke her skin” see moresee less type of: penetrate, perforate pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
verb enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act “Someone broke in while I was on vacation” “They broke into my car and stole my radio!” “who broke into my account last night?” synonyms: break in see moresee less types: crack gain unauthorized access computers with malicious intentions type of: intrude, trespass enter unlawfully on someone's property
verb force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up “break into tears” synonyms: burst, erupt see moresee less type of: express emotion, express feelings give verbal or other expression to one's feelings
verb find a flaw in “break an alibi” “break down a proof” see moresee less type of: destroy, ruin destroy completely; damage irreparably
verb find the solution or key to “break the code” see moresee less type of: figure out, lick, puzzle out, solve, work, work out find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
verb surpass in excellence “break a record” synonyms: better see moresee less type of: exceed, outdo, outgo, outmatch, outperform, outstrip, surmount, surpass be or do something to a greater degree
verb emerge from the surface of a body of water “The whales broke” see moresee less type of: appear come into sight or view
verb move away or escape suddenly “The horses broke from the stable” “Three inmates broke jail” “Nobody can break out--this prison is high security” synonyms: break away, break out see moresee less type of: break loose, escape, get away run away from confinement
verb change directions suddenly see moresee less type of: change, shift, switch lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
verb make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing “The ranks broke” synonyms: break away, break out move away or escape suddenly see moresee less type of: flee, fly, take flight run away quickly
noun a sudden dash “he made a break for the open door” see moresee less types: fast break (basketball) a rapid dash to get a shot as soon as possible after taking possession of the ball type of: dash, sprint a quick run
noun an escape from jail synonyms: breakout, gaolbreak, jailbreak, prison-breaking, prisonbreak see moresee less type of: escape, flight the act of escaping physically
verb happen or take place “Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months” see moresee less type of: come about, fall out, go on, hap, happen, occur, pass, pass off, take place come to pass
verb happen synonyms: develop, recrudesce develop be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest see moresee less type of: come about, fall out, go on, hap, happen, occur, pass, pass off, take place come to pass
verb come into being “light broke over the horizon” “Voices broke in the air” see moresee less type of: become, get, go, wax enter or assume a certain state or condition
verb come forth or begin from a state of latency “The first winter storm broke over New York” see moresee less type of: come forth, emerge happen or occur as a result of something
verb be released or become known; of news “News of her death broke in the morning” synonyms: get around, get out bring out, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, give away, let on, let out, reveal, unwrap make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret see moresee less types: leak, leak out be leaked
verb make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret “he broke the news to her” synonyms: bring out, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, give away, let on, let out, reveal, unwrap get around, get out be released or become known; of news see moresee less types: show 12 types... hide 12 types... blackwash bring (information) out of concealment muckrake explore and expose misconduct and scandals concerning public figures blow cause to be revealed and jeopardized out reveal (something) about somebody's identity or lifestyle come out, come out of the closet, out to state openly and publicly one's homosexuality spring produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly betray, bewray reveal unintentionally confide reveal in private; tell confidentially leak tell anonymously babble, babble out, blab, blab out, let the cat out of the bag, peach, sing, spill the beans, talk, tattle divulge confidential information or secrets reveal disclose directly or through prophets relieve, unbosom relieve oneself of troubling information type of: tell let something be known
noun an unexpected piece of good luck “he finally got his big break” synonyms: good luck, happy chance see moresee less type of: accident, chance event, fortuity, stroke anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause
verb change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another “Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children” see moresee less type of: change, shift, switch lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
verb crack; of the male voice in puberty “his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir” see moresee less type of: change state, turn undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
verb undergo breaking “The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages” see moresee less type of: diphthongise, diphthongize change from a simple vowel to a diphthong
noun 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” see moresee less type of: alteration, change, modification an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
verb make the opening shot that scatters the balls see moresee less type of: shoot throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective
noun the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool see moresee less type of: shot, stroke (sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
noun (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving “he was up two breaks in the second set” synonyms: break of serve see moresee less type of: score the act of scoring in a game or sport
noun any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare “the break in the eighth frame cost him the match” synonyms: open frame see moresee less type of: score the act of scoring in a game or sport
verb separate from a clinch, in boxing “The referee broke the boxers” see moresee less type of: disunite, divide, part, separate force, take, or pull apart
verb do a form of acrobatic solo dancing performed to hip-hop music “Kids were break-dancing at the street corner” synonyms: break dance, break-dance see moresee less type of: dance, trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance

Pronunciation US /breɪk/ UK /breɪk/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘break'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Commonly confused words

brake / break

A brake is a device that slows something down, like a car or a bicycle. To brake — that is, to slow something down — you apply the brakes. When something breaks, it may shatter into pieces or be otherwise destroyed so that it no longer works.

Word Family

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