to break
- verb
- /breɪk/
- First, teachers might state clear expectations and break complex learning tasks into manageable parts.
- break the cycle
- break diplomatic ties
- break a promise
How, how can you break the control that they have?
- How, how can you break the control that they have?
Examples
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How can people step in and break that cycle process?
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And Drew, trying to do the right thing, went to try to break the fight up.
Academic text (2015) -
So I think we want to break it like this.
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You cannot, you cannot break America from the outside.
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So I want to break this into two.
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Why did you guys break up?
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You have to unlearn, you have to break the habit of being yourself.
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He decided to break his bad habits to lead a healthier life.
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To improve productivity, the team agreed to break their routine and try new strategies.
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The constant arguments led them to break their friendship after many years.
Synonyms
To make something end and not continue
To stop trying to do something or accept defeat
To stop someone speaking or an activity
To stop doing a habit or activity like smoking
Break a law, rule, agreement, or promise
To stop something suddenly before it is finished
End a relationship or go separate ways
To stop doing something for a short time to rest or relax before continuing
To move apart or stop being together
To end a romantic relationship with someone
Stop for a short time before continuing
To stop or come to an end
To separate and move in different directions after being together
Stop doing something annoying when someone tells you
To act against a rule, law, or popular opinion
To stop working because of a problem
To make something stop or finish
To end a close relationship and go separate ways
Stop doing something that annoys someone
To stop something that is happening or being given
To stop something suddenly before it is finished, for example a talk or relationship
To break a rule, agreement, or promise
End a relationship with someone or something in a clear, final way
Stop moving or working completely
To do something that breaks a law, rule, or your idea of right and wrong
Interrupt an activity so it stops for a short time
To stop doing something usual to try something new
To slow down an activity or stop it
Temporarily stop an activity to rest or think
End something completely so it does not continue
To stop something before it finishes
Antonyms
Idioms
To overcome barriers that stop women or minority groups getting higher jobs
- Informal
A sudden time when many people lose control and chaos starts
- Informal
To do new or difficult things on purpose to learn and grow
A phrase that says hurt to the body is worse than insults and words do not hurt
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
End a relationship with someone, for example a romantic or business partner
To stop something suddenly before it is finished, for example a talk or relationship
- Specialized
To make something separate into smaller parts by a chemical process
- Jargon
To speak directly to the audience during a play or film to show the story is not real
- Jargon
To remove communication barriers between teams so they can work together
Take part in activities usually not allowed on the Sabbath, like working or traveling
Compounds
- Specialized
A smaller tax people or companies must pay to encourage certain activities
- Jargon
A quick attack where a team moves fast down the court to score before the defense sets up
How Complete
Surface Forms
Etymology
Break comes from an old English word brecan meaning 'to split' or 'to interrupt'. That's why to break something can mean to stop or interrupt an activity or state.