Synonyms for break
- verb
- noun
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Fail
fail, give way, let out, give out, fall in, give, go down, let on, bring out, go bad, go, tell, conk out informal, collapse, divulge, disclose
4. Fall apart
Other
crack, split, burst, fracture, violate, weaken, get around, part, interrupt, wear out, bust, transgress
Noun
1. Pause — A rest or pause, usually from work
pause, interruption, hiatus, time-out, respite, recess, breather informal, suspension, shift break, lapse, halt dated
2. Day off — A short holiday
day off, leave, time-off, rest, annual leave, holiday UK, get-away, vacation US CA
3. Gap — A physical space that opens up in something or between two things
Other
break-down, break-in, dawn, crack of dawn, shift, lay-off, good luck, breakage, split-up, beat-down
Definitions
- v. 1
To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly.
If the vase falls to the floor, it might break.
- v. 2
To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly. To crack or fracture (bone) under a physical strain.
He slipped on the ice and broke his leg.
- n. 1
A physical space that opens up in something or between two things.
The sun came out in a break in the clouds.
- n. 2
A rest or pause, usually from work.
Let’s take a five-minute break.
Related words
- Word family
- breaker
- Phrases
- break-up break-down break off break of day break-in break wind break out tough break
Choose the right word
To break is to divide sharply, with severance of particles, as by a blow or strain. To burst is to break by pressure from within, as a bombshell, but it is used also for the result of violent force otherwise exerted; as, to burst in a door, where the door yields as if to an explosion.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- fail See to it that this letter is posted without fail.
- smash Did you smash the window willingly or unwillingly?
- shatter Rodrigo heard glass shatter at the front entrance.
By length
- 2 letters
- go1
- 3 letters
- gap1
- 4 letters
- part1, give1, tell1, stop1, rest1, kill1, hole1, fail1, quit1, ruin2, tear1, dawn1, bust1, halt1
- 5 letters
- leave1, split1, shift1, crack1, crush1, burst1, smash1, cease1, pause1, lapse1
- 6 letters
- breach1, weaken2, hiatus3, recess2
- 7 letters
- opening3, holiday3, destroy2, violate3, rupture2, shatter2, respite2, divulge2
- 8 letters
- vacation3, collapse2, disclose2, fracture2, breather2, breakage2
- 9 letters
- interrupt3
- 10 letters
- suspension3, transgress2
- 12 letters
- interruption4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (ruin2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- débourrer