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to break

to break

3.6
To make news known quickly
  • verb
  • /breɪk/
  • Literature
translation icon : hacer público
  • We take him to the Examiner, keep him under wraps until we can break the story exclusive.
  • break the news
  • break the ice
  • break the silence

He's not, guys, sorry to break it to you, but he's not.

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Examples

  • The journalist announced that they would break news on the latest developments in the health crisis.

  • 10 bucks says he starts to cry when we break the news to him.

  • Uh-- look, I'm sorry to have to be the one to break the news about your son.

  • You broke this story, didn't you?

  • I'm goin' on down to break the news to Miles' wife.

  • He wants to break the story about you and Emmet.

  • We have breaking news about the upcoming election that you won't want to miss.

  • She was excited to report that the team was breaking news about a significant scientific discovery.

Synonyms

to reveal
vsto break
2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

is more sudden and often signals a new event becoming known
to discover
vsto break
478 1.0

To make secret information known to other people

is more sudden and usually involves public announcement rather than private finding
to get out
vsto break
412 3.5

Become known to many people, even when it was secret

is agentive, meaning someone causes information to become known rather than leaking
to expose
vsto break
342 4.1

Reveal hidden facts or bad actions to people

is more sudden and can also mean events coming to public attention
to uncover
vsto break
243 3.5

Reveal secret facts to the public

is more sudden and often applies to news or events beginning
to disclose
vsto break
234 4.1

To tell people information that was secret

is more sudden and focuses on events or news becoming public
to give away
vsto break
114 3.4

Tell a secret on purpose or by accident

is more sudden and generally involves news being announced widely, not only slips
to get around
vsto break
56 2.8

Information becomes known to many people

is more sudden and usually denotes an immediate announcement rather than slow spread
to divulge
vsto break
45 6.2

To tell secret or private information to people

is more sudden and usually marks news or events starting
to let on
vsto break
  • Informal
43 6.0

To tell a secret or show feelings you were trying to hide

is more sudden and commonly applies to news or events reaching the public quickly
to let out
vsto break
32 3.7

Tell secret or private information to other people

is more sudden and often refers to events becoming public rather than simple telling
to break the story
vsto break
  • Literature
21 3.5

Be the first to tell people about a news event

is broader and not limited to being the first to report
to bring out
vsto break
8 3.7

Make secret information known to the public

is more sudden and can also mean events starting or appearing
to unwrap
vsto break
2 4.4

To tell people about something secret

is less sudden and often implies a staged or gradual information release

Antonyms

282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

176 4.8

To stop public protest by force or by people in power

Idioms

to make or break
  • Informal
26 4.5

Decide whether something is a complete success or failure

give me a break
  • Informal
22 7.9

Ask someone to stop criticizing or asking too much of you

to break a sweat
  • Informal
20 4.1

To start sweating from hard work or to need to try hard

to break a leg
  • Informal
15 6.3

To wish someone good luck before a performance

To cost a lot of money

To make a sound or speak after a time of silence

To do something in a new way instead of the usual way

To stop poverty passing from parents to children

To overcome barriers that stop women or minority groups getting higher jobs

1 7.9

A sudden time when many people lose control and chaos starts

1 5.4

Cause a huge rise in online attention and internet traffic

6.0

To work very hard at something until you are very tired

Have a first success after trying and failing

9.9

To fight strongly for a good cause in a brave, fair way

to break the buck
  • Literature
9.8

A money market fund's share price falls below one dollar

To do new or difficult things on purpose to learn and grow

To tease or nag someone in a way that annoys them

A phrase that says hurt to the body is worse than insults and words do not hurt

To look at the sky as the sun comes up

Phrasal Verbs

to break up
  • Informal
678 2.6

End a relationship with someone, for example a romantic or business partner

496 1.4

To stop doing something for a short time to rest or relax before continuing

to break up with
  • Informal
417 3.4

To end a romantic relationship with someone

213 2.8

To separate something into smaller parts to explain or study it

194 3.2

To stop working because of a problem

152 3.4

Make a group of people leave or spread out

140 3.8

To start suddenly, often with something dangerous like a fire or disease

111 3.9

To lose control of your feelings and cry or collapse

73 3.9

To enter a building or computer system without permission, often by force

66 2.7

Separate something into smaller pieces

to need a break
  • Informal
62 2.1

Want time to rest because you feel tired or stressed

51 3.6

To get free quickly from a place or situation, often from captivity

50 4.0

Suddenly start making a sound, like singing, laughing or crying

50 3.2

To stop something suddenly before it is finished, for example a talk or relationship

To overcome a difficulty after many tries and succeed

To move suddenly through a barrier, as light or a person

to break up
  • Informal
38 5.0

Become unable to cope because of strong stress or emotion

37 3.5

To remove barriers that stop people from doing something

to break down
  • Specialized
36 3.7

To make something separate into smaller parts by a chemical process

34 3.4

To make someone very sad because of love or disappointment

30 4.1

To leave an organization and form a separate group

30 3.4

To interrupt a conversation or activity without being invited

29 3.4

To make someone or something comfortable in a new situation

29 4.0

To take something out of storage to use it

28 2.8

To make a piece come away from something by hitting or bending it

27 3.3

Earn enough to cover all costs with no profit or loss

To separate into pieces, for example a machine or a group

Start work on a new building or important project

24 4.0

To develop spots or a rash on the skin

Begin suddenly in a violent or noisy way

23 4.1

End a relationship with someone or something in a clear, final way

to break the story
  • Literature
21 3.5

Be the first to tell people about a news event

To fail to do what you said you would do

Do better than anyone before in a sport or activity

To stop a repeated harmful pattern by choosing to change

14 3.3

Suddenly start doing something, like running or dancing

to break bread
  • Informal
14 3.9

To eat a meal together to show friendship or build community

13 2.1

To open something suddenly by force, for example a locked door or jar

To escape limits or control and become independent

11 3.3

Interrupt an activity so it stops for a short time

11 3.4

To start working in a new job or field, often for the first time

11 3.9

To stop doing something usual to try something new

to break up
  • Informal
9 3.0

Start laughing very hard and cannot stop

Open a closed container or use it for the first time

To force yourself free from a place or person

To escape suddenly from control, capture, or a group

Pack your things and leave a camp at the end of your stay

4 3.5

To introduce a new product or service to people

To let gas out of your bottom

To suddenly start running, often after walking or standing still

To come out of hiding into the open

To make progress when people cannot agree

To speak directly to the audience during a play or film to show the story is not real

To come off a larger thing, often because of force or damage

To finish the hardest part of a job to make the rest easier

To start suddenly and strongly, like an argument or a strong feeling

1 3.5

To force open a door or window to get inside

to break bad
  • Informal
1 8.9

Start doing illegal or wrong things after living an honest life

1 5.0

To not keep a serious promise you made, often in a formal situation

To perform a street dance with quick acrobatic moves to hip-hop music

To remove communication barriers between teams so they can work together

To tell someone bad news gently

Take part in activities usually not allowed on the Sabbath, like working or traveling

to break reality
  • Literature
8.5

To make people doubt what is real using art or media

To stop something before it finishes

9.9

Threaten to hit a person's face and hurt them

To get out of the same boring routine

Compounds

tax break
  • Specialized
98 3.0

A smaller tax people or companies must pay to encourage certain activities

83 3.9

An illegal entry into a building to steal or damage things

81 2.0

A short vacation from school in spring, usually one week

big break
  • Informal
38 3.2

An important chance that helps a person become successful in their career

20 1.0

A short break from work to drink coffee or eat a small snack

tough break
  • Informal
19 5.8

An unlucky event that makes things harder for someone

lucky break
  • Informal
13 3.2

A sudden chance that helps you succeed

13 1.2

A short pause to use the toilet

clean break
  • Informal
12 3.9

A complete ending of a relationship or old life to start fresh

10 1.0

A holiday when schools and universities close for winter

fast break
  • Jargon
9 3.5

A quick attack where a team moves fast down the court to score before the defense sets up

4 1.0

The first light of morning when the sun rises

A solo street dance with fast acrobatic moves on the ground to hip-hop music

1 3.6

A solo street dance with quick acrobatic moves often done to hip-hop music

1 1.3

A short informal break at work to drink tea or another drink

1 4.5

Illegal access to a computer system to steal or damage data

bio-break
  • Informal
1 8.6

A short break to use the toilet or take care of personal needs

The first light of morning when the sun begins to appear

5.1

A game one player wins while the opponent is serving

break seal
  • Specialized
6.1

A seal that breaks when a package is opened to show if someone opened it

9.9

A tree from the West Indies with very hard wood used for building

4.1

A piece that has come away from a larger object, often suddenly

3.9

A short pause in an activity

4.3

An ending of a relationship or agreement, often sudden

3.7

A short pause to use the toilet or have a brief rest

A short pause from work to move, stretch, or rest

service break
  • Jargon
5.1

A game the player who is not serving wins in tennis

How Public

leak
172 4.8
to publicize
94 4.0
to announce
1.5
to break
  • Literature
3.6
to reveal
84 7.4
to let slip
5 5.6
hint
229 1.5

Surface Forms

break infinitive
breaking present participle
breaks third person singular
broke past
broken past participle

Etymology

Break comes from an old English word brecan meaning 'to open' suddenly. When news or a story 'breaks', it is like it suddenly opens up and becomes known.