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
Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter who covers the death penalty, cold case investigations and breaking news for USA TODAY.
—
Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The passengers include the requisite obnoxious jerk, Dan (Angus Sampson), already throwing his weight around and breaking no-smoking rules at LAX.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Maloney was also successful at FIU, breaking the program bowl-game record for most catches (10) and most receiving yards (178).
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
From a decades-old murder case cracked by DNA and facial recognition to a tribal nation breaking ground on a major Elk Grove resort, here are the top stories in the Sacramento region on Monday, Apil 27.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Even after the war started, the volatile market started breaking records again.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Other quirky clips included her impromptu bouquet toss and high heels nearly breaking.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
To keep the parts from breaking, researchers are fine-tuning the metal to withstand constant stretching and squeezing.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
Strings said, referring to the throne Grohl used to perform with Foo Fighters after breaking his leg during a show in 2015.
—Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
The passengers include the requisite obnoxious jerk, Dan (Angus Sampson), already throwing his weight around and breaking no-smoking rules at LAX.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Maloney was also successful at FIU, breaking the program bowl-game record for most catches (10) and most receiving yards (178).
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
From a decades-old murder case cracked by DNA and facial recognition to a tribal nation breaking ground on a major Elk Grove resort, here are the top stories in the Sacramento region on Monday, Apil 27.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Even after the war started, the volatile market started breaking records again.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Other quirky clips included her impromptu bouquet toss and high heels nearly breaking.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
To keep the parts from breaking, researchers are fine-tuning the metal to withstand constant stretching and squeezing.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
Strings said, referring to the throne Grohl used to perform with Foo Fighters after breaking his leg during a show in 2015.
—Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking
Verb
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While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Treasury has issued sanctions on more than 1,000 targets since 2025 under the current maximum pressure campaign, the official said, aimed at disrupting Iran’s oil trade and financial networks.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That led many to believe that, while treatments and crisis care are vital, the goal of suicide prevention needs to expand beyond stopping people from dying to also giving them reasons to live.—
Aneri Pattani,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Bain walked purposefully, never slowing, never stopping — not even to size himself up in his new Bucs hat in the mirror — before striding onstage for a hug with the commissioner.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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MacRumors thinks this could end up reducing the thickness of the iPhone’s display stack while improving brightness and minimizing power use.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
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The Airhart ethos is focused on reducing the cognitive drain on the pilot.—
David Szondy
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The study creates new criteria for deciphering old dice and allows archaeologists to further explore how games have evolved over time, researchers say.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
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The clicks are part of a growing sperm whale phonetic alphabet that researchers at CETI are deciphering.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The trio pulled up on e-bikes, drove up to the entrance of the Information Center and began shouting and taking pictures, pausing to take drags off a vape while peering through the shuttered doors.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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This summer, Delta is trimming its flight schedule by reducing flight frequencies and pausing seasonal routes across its domestic, transatlantic, and Latin American markets.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Despite the steady stream of guests plowing through the buffet, the staff have it under control.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
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Rather than plowing down anyone, a tackle is when a player slides feet first to dislodge the ball from an opposing player.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In their first public statement made outside the courtroom since Kohberger's arrest in December 2022, Kohberger's lawyers have accused a former defense expert, criminologist Brent Turvey, of violating a confidentiality agreement by speaking about the case.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Citizens for Positive Growth & Preservation since 2015 has filed three lawsuits against the city accusing Sacramento officials of violating CEQA.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The sheep rise to the occasion and use all the mental mystery-solving skills George and his stories have left behind.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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The one-million-cubic-meter-level salt cavern hydrogen storage demonstration project began operation in Pingdingshan on Saturday, signaling progress in solving one of hydrogen energy’s biggest challenges.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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