Break Meaning, Definition, and Synonyms

Break is a very common English word with several meanings. It can mean to separate into pieces, to pause, to violate a rule, to stop working, or to interrupt something. Because it has so many senses, the best synonyms depend on the context.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /breɪk/

Easy pronunciation: BRAKE (approximate spelling).

Stress: One syllable; the vowel is stressed.

Primary sense is the verb meaning to split or crack something.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Break Meaning

to split or crack something

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to separate into pieces or to cause something to separate into pieces

Example: Be careful not to break the glass.

Synonyms for this meaning:

crack — Works when something develops a crack or splits.
fracture — More formal and often used for hard objects or bones; not always a direct everyday substitute.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Break

Meaning 2

a short rest

Part of speech: noun

Definition: an act of stopping work or pausing for a short time

Example: Let's take a break for coffee.

Synonyms for this meaning:

recess — Fits a formal pause, but is less common in everyday speech.
respite — Usually means a welcome pause from something difficult.
time out — Common in informal speech, especially for a short pause.

Meaning 3

to disobey a rule or promise

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises

Example: You can't break the rules.

Synonyms for this meaning:

breach — Works best in formal or legal contexts.
violate — A strong, direct synonym in formal usage.
transgress — More formal or literary than everyday break.
infract — Rare; used in legal or formal language.

Meaning 4

to stop working

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to stop operating or functioning

Example: My phone broke yesterday.

Synonyms for this meaning:

break down — Used when a machine or system stops working.
conk out — Informal.
fail — Works when something no longer functions.
go bad — Usually for food or supplies, not all devices.

Meaning 5

to interrupt or stop something

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to interrupt a continued activity or prevent it from being completed

Example: The speaker broke off in the middle of her sentence.

Synonyms for this meaning:

interrupt — A strong substitute when something stops temporarily.
discontinue — More formal and often used for planned stopping.
stop — Broad and practical, though less specific.

Meaning 6

to come apart

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to become separated into pieces or fragments

Example: The plate broke into small pieces.

Synonyms for this meaning:

come apart — A close everyday equivalent.
fall apart — Works well for something separating into pieces.
split up — Can work for physical things, but is more often used for people.

Meaning 7

to reveal a secret

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to make known to the public information that was previously secret

Example: Someone broke the news to the press.

Synonyms for this meaning:

disclose — Formal but accurate.
divulge — Strong formal synonym for secret information.
reveal — Common and natural in everyday English.
expose — Works when secret wrongdoing is uncovered, but not for every reveal.

Meaning 8

to weaken something

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to lessen in force or effect

Example: The news broke her confidence.

Synonyms for this meaning:

weaken — Direct and practical.
dampen — Often used for feelings or enthusiasm.
soften — Works in some contexts, especially emotions or impact.

Meaning 9

a prison escape

Part of speech: noun

Definition: an escape from jail

Example: The prisoners planned a jailbreak.

Synonyms for this meaning:

breakout — General term for an escape.
jailbreak — Common modern word for escaping from jail or prison.
prisonbreak — Used, but less common in standard usage.

Meaning 10

to stop electricity from flowing

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to interrupt the flow of current in a circuit

Example: A fault in the wire broke the circuit.

Meaning 11

to run away suddenly

Part of speech: verb

Definition: to move away or escape suddenly

Example: He broke away from the group and ran.

Synonyms for this meaning:

break away — Direct substitute in escape or separation contexts.
break out — Works for escaping or rushing away.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Break Synonyms

Similar Meaning

split
crack
fracture
come apart
fall apart

a short pause from work or activity

pause
rest
time out
respite

to violate a rule or promise

violate
breach
transgress

to stop working

fail
break down
conk out

to interrupt or stop something

interrupt
stop
discontinue

to reveal secret information

reveal
disclose
divulge

a prison escape

jailbreak
breakout

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Do not use break to mean only 'rest' unless the context is a noun like 'take a break.'
Do not mix up break meaning 'reveal' with break meaning 'interrupt' or 'separate.'
Break in, break out, break up, and break down are different phrasal verbs with different meanings.
In formal writing, the noun break can mean a pause, but the verb break usually means something else.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common meaning of break?

The most common everyday meaning is to make something separate into pieces or to become separated into pieces.

What are the best synonyms for break?

That depends on the sense. For the main physical sense, strong synonyms include split, crack, fracture, come apart, and fall apart.

Is break a noun or a verb?

It is both. As a noun, it can mean a pause or an interruption. As a verb, it has many meanings, including to split, stop working, interrupt, or violate a rule.

What is the difference between break and break down?

Break is broader. Break down often means to stop functioning, to fail emotionally, or to make something simpler or smaller.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.