breaks 1 of 2

verb

Definition of breaksnext
present tense third-person singular of break
1
as in disrupts
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 stops
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the final vote broke the deadlock

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3
as in reduces
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 deciphers
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 pauses
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 plows
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 violates
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 solves
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 damages
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of I broke a tooth on the hard candy

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10
as in dies
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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11
as in retreats
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 wears
to use up all the physical energy of the trek up the mountain just about broke me

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13
as in circulates
to become known as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country

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14
as in bankrupts
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 begins
to come into existence the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking

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16
as in veers
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 lowers
to diminish the price or value of distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks

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18
as in exceeds
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 surfaces
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

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breaks

2 of 2

noun

plural of break
1
as in lulls
a momentary halt in an activity there was a brief break after the first movement as the doors to the concert hall were opened and the latecomers were allowed in

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2
as in vacations
a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended most of the students at the boarding school are going home for Christmas break

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3
as in gaps
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) the rancher repaired the break in the fence where the horse had gotten through

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4
as in opportunities
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place in classic fashion, her big break came when, as an understudy, she took over for an ailing star

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5
as in accidents
an unexpected benefit or advantage resulting from the uncertain course of events a guy who just seems to get all the breaks in life

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6
as in escapes
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement a desperate break from that hellhole

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks
  1. disrupts
  2. reduces
  3. violates
  4. solves
  5. dies
  6. begins
  7. exceeds
  8. gaps
Verb
  • Pursuing The Wrong Trends When a new trend disrupts the market and an opportunity presents itself, navigating a path forward can be challenging.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
  • This new standard discredits live event producers' long-standing excuse that accessibility disrupts the performance or looks bad.
    Toby Wong, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Definition of disrupts
Verb
  • Studies show that switching between tasks reduces efficiency, increases mistakes, and exhausts the brain faster than focused work does.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
  • This piece of tech reduces the sniper’s signature by muffling or diverting the sound (some can divert them 90 degrees away from the barrel) and also reduces muzzle flash.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • Regional experts, including some Israelis, are warning that a new archaeology bill approved by the Israeli government to expand the country’s Antiquities Authority’s jurisdiction to sites in the West Bank violates international law, and could bring sanctions, reports The Art Newspaper.
    The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 4 Oct. 2024
  • The automaker filed the suit on Thursday asking the US District Court in the Central District of California to declare the decision by UAW Local 230 in Los Angeles to take a strike authorization vote violates terms of the contract reached last fall.
    Reuters, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of violates
Verb
  • Make sure your business idea solves a specific problem or serves a gap in the market.
    Melissa Houston, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
  • Investors want to see that your solution solves a tangible problem, so ensure that your MVP shows potential for scalability.
    Christoph Zeizel, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Definition of solves
Verb
  • For example, what happens if a witch dies midtrial?
    Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2024
  • Cut back plants in fall, or earlier if the plant dies back from heat, to reduce leaf miner populations.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2024
Definition of dies
Verb
  • The next political cycle begins with no clear frontrunners, which is a bit unusual.
    Dan Walters, Orange County Register, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The six-day China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition begins Tuesday in the southern Greater Bay city of Zhuhai.
    Reuters, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
Definition of begins
Verb
  • If that fund exceeds $2 million, the Legislature could vote to spend the amount over $2 million on peace officer training, equipment and other benefits.
    Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 4 Oct. 2024
  • The cost exceeds $20 billion annually due to lawsuits, turnover and loss of productivity.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
Definition of exceeds
Noun
  • Farrell, among Canada’s leading TV writers and showrunners, launched the program to address industry knowledge gaps among BIPOC scribes.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024
  • The agriculture and construction sectors have struggled to fill gaps left by Palestinians whose work permits have been suspended since October last year, pushing up prices for fresh vegetables and leading to a steep decline in housebuilding.
    Hanna Ziady, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of gaps
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near breaks

break out (with)

breaks

breaks bread

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Cite this Entry

“Breaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaks. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on breaks

Nglish: Translation of breaks for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of breaks for Arabic Speakers

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