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break

Definition for break

noun as in fissure, opening

Strongest matches

crack, gap, hole

Strong matches

breach, cleft, discontinuity, disjunction, division, fracture, gash, rent, rift, rupture, schism, split, tear

noun as in interruption of activity

Strongest matches

hiatus, intermission, interval, layoff, lull, pause, recess, respite, rest, suspension, time off

Strong matches

breakoff, breather, caesura, cutoff, downtime, halt, interlude, lacuna, letup

Weak matches

breathing space, coffee break, time-out

noun as in change from friendly to unfriendly relationship

Strongest matches

Strong matches

alienation, altercation, breach, clash, disaffection, dispute, divergence, estrangement, misunderstanding, rift, rupture, schism, separation, split

Weak match

difference of opinion

noun as in lucky happening

Strongest matches

advantage, chance, opening, opportunity, shot

Strong matches

accident, fortune, luck, occasion

Weak matches

favorable circumstances, good luck, stroke of luck

verb as in destroy; make whole into pieces

Strongest matches

burst, crack, crash, crush, damage, fracture, separate, sever, shatter, smash, snap, split, tear

Strong matches

annihilate, batter, bust, demolish, disintegrate, divide, eradicate, fragment, part, rend, shiver, splinter, torpedo, total, trash

Weak matches

bust up, finish off, make hash of, make mincemeat of, pull to pieces

verb as in violate law

Strongest matches

breach, violate

Strong matches

contravene, disobey, disregard, infract, infringe, offend, transgress

Weak match

verb as in weaken, cause instability

Strong matches

bankrupt, bust, confound, confute, controvert, cow, cripple, degrade, demerit, demoralize, demote, dispirit, disprove, downgrade, enervate, enfeeble, humiliate, impair, impoverish, incapacitate, pauperize, rebut, reduce, refute, ruin, subdue, tame, undermine

Weak matches

declass, disconfirm

verb as in stop an action

Strongest matches

abandon, cut, give up

Strong matches

discontinue, interrupt, pause, rest, suspend

verb as in tell news

Strong matches

announce, communicate, convey, disclose, divulge, impart, inform, proclaim, reveal, tell, transmit

Weak matches

come out, let out, make public, pass on

verb as in better a performance

Strongest match

Strong matches

beat, cap, exceed, excel, outdo, outstrip, top

Weak match

verb as in emerge, happen

Strongest matches

Strong matches

appear, befall, betide, chance, develop, erupt, occur, transpire

Weak matches

burst out, come forth, come off, come to pass

verb as in run away

Strongest match

Strong matches

abscond, dash, decamp, flee, fly

Weak matches

bust out, clear out, cut and run, get away, get out

verb as in weaken something's effect

Strongest match

Strong matches

diminish, lessen, lighten, moderate, reduce, soften

Discover More

Example Sentences

Need a break from another Trump presidency?

From Salon

“We want to make sure that we are able to break the curse around the decades-long segregation of Black and brown communities in Los Angeles,” said Estuardo Mazariegos, a co-director of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, a group that advocates for low-income communities.

From Los Angeles Times

CAMARILLO, Calif. — Stanley Jensen worked with firefighters to break open a melted safe amid the rubble of his family’s home.

From Los Angeles Times

The city plans to break ground next month to start construction of new facilities at the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys.

From Los Angeles Times

In Roberts’ analysis, Trump represents a break from the establishment, despite some of his recent cabinet appointments, like reported Secretary of State pick Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and that Trump has been a Republican power broker since 2012, when Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, traveled to New York during his presidential campaign to seek Trump’s endorsement.

From Salon

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From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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