Phrasal Verbs List with Break

Explore a collection of phrasal verbs with "break" and their meanings. From leaving suddenly to disintegration and entering forcefully, delve into their usage and examples. 1. Break away (Leave suddenly):
  • She decided to break away from her toxic relationship and start afresh.
  • They witnessed the prisoner attempting to break away from the guards during the chaos.
  • He felt the need to break away from the routine and explore new horizons.
2. Break away (Become separated, literally or figuratively):
  • The iceberg broke away from the glacier and drifted into the ocean.
  • They watched as the crowd broke away into smaller groups, dispersing in different directions.
  • She finally managed to break away from the negative influences in her life.
3. Break down (Fail, to cease to function):
  • The car broke down in the middle of the highway, causing a traffic jam.
  • They experienced a power outage, causing the entire system to break down.
  • She felt overwhelmed and broke down under the pressure of the workload.
4. Break down (Render or become unstable due to stress, to collapse physically or mentally):
  • The athlete broke down during the marathon, unable to continue due to exhaustion.
  • He struggled to cope with the emotional turmoil and eventually broke down in tears.
  • They witnessed their friend breaking down after the loss of a loved one.
5. Break down (Render or become weak and ineffective):
  • The immune system broke down and couldn't fight off the infection.
  • She realized her arguments would break down under closer scrutiny.
  • They observed how the communication between the team members broke down over time.
6. Break down (Decay, to decompose):
  • The fallen leaves broke down over time, returning nutrients to the soil.
  • They studied the process by which organic matter breaks down into simpler compounds.
  • She learned about the role of microorganisms in helping organic material break down naturally.
7. Break down (Divide into parts to give more details, to provide a more in-depth analysis of):
  • The report broke down the financial data, providing a clear overview of the company's performance.
  • He decided to break down the complex concept into simpler terms for better understanding.
  • They requested the instructor to break down the steps of the equation to solve it more easily.
8. Break down (Digest):
  • The enzymes in the stomach help break down food into nutrients.
  • She struggled to break down the information presented in the dense textbook.
  • They learned how the digestive system works to break down and absorb nutrients from food.
9. Break even (Neither gain nor lose money):
  • The business managed to break even after a challenging year of expenses and revenue.
  • They calculated the costs and revenues to determine whether they would break even on the project.
  • She hoped that the sales would be enough to break even and cover the production costs.
10. Break even (Stay the same; to neither advance nor regress):
  • The score remained tied, and both teams broke even after a competitive match.
  • They realized that despite their efforts, they would break even in terms of progress.
  • She hoped to break even and maintain her current level of fitness during the vacation.
11. Break in (Enter a place by force or illicit means):
  • The thieves attempted to break in through the back entrance of the house.
  • She heard a suspicious noise and suspected someone was trying to break in.
  • They installed security cameras to prevent burglars from breaking in to their property.
12. Break in (Cause to function more naturally through use or wear):
  • He wore the new shoes for a few days to break them in and make them more comfortable.
  • She advised her friend to break in the new car engine gently to avoid any mechanical issues.
  • They patiently waited for the musical instrument to be broken in and reach its optimal sound quality.
13. Break off (End a relationship):
  • They decided to break off their engagement due to irreconcilable differences.
  • She realized it was time to break off the toxic friendship that was bringing her down.
  • He struggled to break off the long-term relationship, fearing the consequences.
14. Break off (To stop (temporarily)):
  • break off the meeting for a short break and reconvene in 15 minutes.
  • She decided to break off her studies for a semester to focus on personal matters.
  • They had to break off their conversation when an urgent matter required their attention.
15. Break off (To become separate (from something)):
  • The iceberg broke off from the larger ice shelf, drifting into the open ocean.
  • She accidentally broke off a piece of the cookie while taking a bite.
  • They saw a branch break off from the tree during the strong windstorm.
16. Break into (Enter illegally or by force, especially to commit a crime):
  • The burglars managed to break into the jewelry store and steal valuable items.
  • She reported a suspicious individual trying to break into her neighbor's house.
  • They increased security measures to prevent unauthorized individuals from breaking into the building.
17. Break into (Open or begin to use):
  • He couldn't wait to break into the new video game and start playing.
  • She finally broke into the field of professional photography after years of hard work.
  • They encouraged her to break into the music industry with her exceptional talent.
18. Break into (Successfully enter a profession or business):
  • He managed to break into the competitive world of acting and landed his first role.
  • She aspired to break into the fashion industry and establish her own clothing line.
  • They celebrated their friend's achievement as she broke into the tech startup scene with her innovative idea.
19. Break into (Begin suddenly):
  • Laughter broke into the room as they shared funny stories.
  • She couldn't help but break into a smile when she saw her surprise birthday party.
  • They cheered as the sun broke into the clouds, illuminating the landscape.
20. Break out (Escape, especially forcefully or defiantly):
  • The prisoners managed to break out of the heavily guarded prison.
  • She saw a protest breaking out in the streets, with people demanding justice.
  • They organized a daring plan to break out their friend from the oppressive regime.
21. Break out (Begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition):
  • A rash broke out on her skin after an allergic reaction.
  • She felt her creativity breaking out as new ideas flowed effortlessly.
  • They noticed a smile breaking out on his face as he received good news.
22. Break through (To break a way through (something solid)):
  • They used a battering ram to break through the door and gain entry.
  • She managed to break through the crowd and reach the front of the stage.
  • He persevered and eventually broke through the obstacles that stood in his path.
23. Break through (To make new and important discoveries):
  • The scientist's research broke through existing theories, revolutionizing the field.
  • She worked tirelessly to break through the barriers and achieve groundbreaking results.
  • They celebrated the team's breakthrough as they broke through the limitations of conventional thinking.
24. Break up (Break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart):
  • The vase accidentally broke up when it fell off the shelf.
  • They watched the iceberg breaking up into smaller chunks as it drifted in the ocean.
  • She used a hammer to break up the concrete into smaller fragments.
25. Break up (End a relationship):
  • They mutually agreed to break up after realizing their differences were irreconcilable.
  • She felt heartbroken after the break-up with her long-term partner.
  • He struggled to move on after the break-up and needed time to heal.
26. Break up (Dissolve; to part):
  • The meeting broke up after hours of intense discussion and debate.
  • She witnessed the crowd breaking up into smaller groups as they dispersed.
  • They decided to break up the project into smaller tasks for better coordination.
27. Break up (Break or separate into pieces):
  • The storm caused the waves to break up against the rocky shore.
  • She used her hands to break up the clumps of soil in the garden.
  • They needed to break up the ice blocks into smaller chunks for easier storage.
28. Break up (Stop a fight Break up: Interrupt or discontinue a fight or argument; to separate people who are fighting):
  • They stepped in to break up the fight and restore order.
  • She called security to break up the altercation between two customers.
  • They pleaded with the siblings to break up their heated argument and find a peaceful resolution.
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