English Expressions, Idioms & Phrasal Verbs | Meanings, Examples & Usage
to share important or upsetting information with someone
"He had to break news to his editor about the source backing out."
to end suddenly; to stop speaking or negotiating
"They broke off the engagement last month."
to stop communicating suddenly or intentionally
"After the argument, they broke off communication for months."
to end official relations between countries
"The two nations decided to break off diplomatic ties after the border conflict."
to pause or stop doing something temporarily
"She had to break off from studying to answer a call."
to end diplomatic or political connections between countries
"The two nations decided to break off relations after the border dispute escalated."
to stop discussions or negotiations suddenly
"The two countries decided to break off talks after repeated disagreements."
to stop negative or anxious thoughts abruptly
"Whenever you start overthinking, break off thoughts and focus on something present."
to end a relationship or stop communicating with someone
"After the big fight, she decided to break off with him for good."
to fail to keep a promise
"Don’t break your word; people rely on you."
to release repressed emotions or feelings
"The movie made me break open and finally cry."
to start suddenly (for war, fire, disease, etc.)
"A fire broke out in the kitchen last night."
to suddenly start crying
"She broke out crying when she heard the sad news."
to suddenly develop something on the skin (like a rash)
"He broke out in a rash after eating seafood."
to suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety
"He broke out in a cold sweat before his job interview."
to suddenly develop a skin condition
"She broke out in a rash after eating seafood."
to free yourself from a negative emotional state
"He finally broke out of his depression after therapy."
to do something that is new or challenging for personal growth
"To grow as a person, you must break out of your comfort zone."
to free yourself from self-doubt and lack of confidence
"She finally broke out of insecurity and started speaking publicly."
to overcome a barrier or limit; to move beyond something difficult
"You have to break past your fears to achieve real success."
to overcome fear and take courageous action
"You can only grow when you break past fear and take risks."
to make someone very sad, especially in love
"He broke her heart when he left her."
to cost too much; to use up all your money
"Buying that car will break the bank."
to free oneself from restrictions or limitations
"She wanted to break the chains of social expectations."
to stand out in a crowded or competitive market
"A good tagline can help a brand break the clutter."
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
"They finally managed to break the deadlock through discussion."
to address the audience directly in a play or film
"The actor broke the fourth wall to make the scene funnier."
to overcome a barrier or limitation, particularly in career or personal advancement
"She was the first woman in the company to break the glass ceiling and become a senior manager."
to do or say something to make people feel more comfortable in a social situation
"He told a funny story to break the ice at the start of the event."
to cause an enormous amount of attention and discussion online
"The celebrity's new photo broke the internet."
to commit an illegal act
"Anyone who breaks the law should be punished."
to do something differently from tradition
"She broke the mold by becoming the first female CEO."
to tell someone important or shocking news
"He had to break the news about the accident to his parents."
to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts
"Let's break the problem down into smaller steps."
to start speaking after a period of silence or tension
"She finally broke the silence and told the truth."
to overcome a barrier or limitation; to achieve personal progress
"He managed to break through his emotional walls and trust people again."
to overcome difficulties or obstacles
"She broke through barriers to become a successful engineer."
to overcome prejudices and unfair judgments
"Training programs help employees break through bias in hiring decisions."
to overcome strong emotional barriers like fear or anxiety
"He finally broke through his fear and spoke in public."
to overcome emotional suffering or struggle
"She managed to break through pain and start a new chapter in life."
to make someone understand your emotions or point of view
"It took hours to finally break through to him and make him understand how I felt."
to divide into smaller parts; to disintegrate
"The ice caps are breaking up due to global warming."
to end a romantic relationship with someone
"He broke up with his girlfriend after three years of dating."
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
"The couple decided to break with tradition and have a small wedding on the beach."
to work very hard to achieve something
"He’s been breaking his back to support his family."
To make an important new discovery or innovation; to do something that has never been done before.
"The new trade agreement is breaking new ground in international relations."
New and important information being reported immediately
"We have breaking news about the election results."
to end a situation where no progress is being made
"The negotiation team succeeded in breaking the deadlock."
a significant or sudden development or discovery; an important achievement
"The scientist made a major breakthrough in his research on cancer treatment."
to use breathing techniques to release stress
"Take a few deep breaths to breathe away tension."