Pause vs. Break — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 20, 2024
A pause typically refers to a temporary stop in an activity, resuming after a short period, while a break usually indicates a longer interruption, often with the purpose of rest or discontinuation of an activity.
Difference Between Pause and Break
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Pausing is often used in contexts where the stoppage is brief and the intent is to continue again shortly, such as pausing a movie or during a conversation. In contrast, taking a break implies a longer duration of cessation, like taking a lunch break during work or a break between semesters in school, providing a more extended period of rest or change of activity.
While a pause is generally a momentary halt, providing a brief respite or time to think, a break serves to offer relief after prolonged activity, often being planned or scheduled, like breaks in a workplace to ensure employee well-being. On the other hand, pauses may occur spontaneously and are typically shorter, such as pausing to gather one’s thoughts.
In technical or mechanical contexts, to pause something often means halting a process or activity without closing or stopping it completely, such as pausing a computer program. Conversely, taking a break in these contexts might mean temporarily ceasing operations, like a machine shutdown during maintenance.
Pauses can be seen as essential for adjusting or reflecting in the midst of an activity, allowing for better decision-making or coordination. Breaks, however, are crucial for preventing fatigue, providing necessary downtime so individuals can return to their activities refreshed and more productive.
In continuous activities, like driving or working, a pause might occur at a traffic light or while waiting for an email response, whereas a break would be stopping at a rest area or stepping away from one’s desk for lunch.
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Comparison Chart
Duration
Short, momentary
Longer, more extended
Purpose
Temporary halt for immediate resumption
Provides rest or ends an activity
Usage
In continuous or active contexts
In contexts requiring rest or relief
Planned
Often spontaneous
Usually scheduled or planned
Examples
Pausing a video, stopping to think
Lunch breaks, semester breaks
Compare with Definitions
Pause
Momentarily stopping a device or process.
She paused the movie to answer the phone.
Break
A longer period of rest or interruption.
During the long drive, they took a break at a roadside diner.
Pause
In programming, pausing can refer to halting a function without terminating it.
The software allowed users to pause the download and resume later.
Break
Scheduled intermissions during events or work.
The conference schedule included several breaks for attendees to network.
Pause
A temporary stop in action or speech.
He took a brief pause to collect his thoughts during the debate.
Break
Physically separating or stopping an activity.
The machine broke down, so we had to take a break until it was fixed.
Pause
Used to emphasize a point or for dramatic effect.
The speaker paused dramatically before revealing the winner.
Break
Breaks can serve as a mental or physical refreshment period.
After studying for hours, she took a break to go for a walk.
Pause
Common in everyday activities for brief interruptions.
The teacher paused the lesson to answer a student's question.
Break
Often planned to prevent fatigue or boredom.
The company mandates a fifteen-minute break every two hours for all shift workers.
Pause
Interrupt action or speech briefly
She paused, at a loss for words
Break
Separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain
The rope broke with a loud snap
Windows in the street were broken by the blast
Pause
A temporary stop in action or speech
She dropped me outside during a brief pause in the rain
He chattered away without pause
Break
Interrupt (a continuity, sequence, or course)
The new government broke the pattern of growth
His concentration was broken by a sound
Pause
To cease or suspend an action temporarily
She paused in her piano exercises to listen for the baby.
Break
Fail to observe (a law, regulation, or agreement)
The council says it will prosecute traders who break the law
A legally binding contract which can only be broken by mutual consent
Pause
To hesitate
He paused before replying.
Break
Crush the emotional strength, spirit, or resistance of
The idea was to better the prisoners, not to break them
Pause
To linger; tarry
We paused for a while under the huge oak tree.
Break
(of the weather) change suddenly, especially after a fine spell
The weather broke and thunder rumbled through a leaden sky
Pause
To cease or suspend the action of temporarily; stop for an interim
Paused the printer to add more paper.
Paused the DVD with the remote.
Break
(of news or a scandal) suddenly become public
Since the news broke I've received thousands of wonderful letters
Pause
A break, stop, or rest, often for a calculated purpose or effect
After a dramatic pause, the lawyer finished her summation.
Break
(chiefly of an attacking player or team, or of a military force) make a rush or dash in a particular direction
Mitchell won possession and broke quickly, allowing Hughes to score
Pause
A delay or suspended reaction, as from uncertainty; a hesitation
After a pause the audience broke into cheers.
Break
An interruption of continuity or uniformity
The magazine has been published without a break since 1950
Pause
Delay or hesitation
Spoke without pause for an hour.
Break
A pause in work or during an activity or event
I need a break from mental activity
A coffee break
Those returning to work after a career break
Pause
Reason for hesitation
The immensity of the task gives one pause.
Break
A gap or opening
The track bends left through a break in the hedge
He stopped to wait for a break in the traffic
Pause
(Music) A sign, such as a fermata, indicating that a note or rest is to be held.
Break
An instance of breaking something, or the point where something is broken
He was stretchered off with a break to the leg
Pause
A break or rest in a line of poetry; a caesura.
Break
A rush or dash in a particular direction, especially by an attacking player or team
Norwich scored on a rare break with 11 minutes left
Pause
A control mechanism on an audio or video player that halts the playing of a recording and permits playing to be easily resumed from the same point.
Break
An opportunity or chance, especially one leading to professional success
He got his break as an entertainer on a TV music hall show
Pause
(intransitive) To take a temporary rest, take a break for a short period after an effort.
Break
A consecutive series of successful shots, scoring a specified number of points
A break of 83 put him in front for the first time
Pause
(intransitive) To interrupt an activity and wait.
When telling the scary story, he paused for effect.
Break
A bud or shoot sprouting from a stem.
Pause
(intransitive) To hesitate; to hold back; to delay.
Break
Former term for breaking cart
Pause
(transitive) To halt the play or playback of, temporarily, so that it can be resumed from the same point.
To pause a song, a video, or a computer game
Break
Another term for brake
Pause
To consider; to reflect.
Break
To cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently; smash.
Pause
A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
Break
To divide into pieces, as by bending or cutting
Break crackers for a baby.
Pause
A short time for relaxing and doing something else.
Break
To separate into components or parts
Broke the work into discrete tasks.
Pause
Hesitation; suspense; doubt.
Break
To snap off or detach
Broke a twig from the tree.
Pause
In writing and printing, a mark indicating the place and nature of an arrest of voice in reading; a punctuation mark.
Teach the pupil to mind the pauses.
Break
To cause to undergo a fracture of (a bone, for example)
The impact of the fall broke his leg.
Pause
A break or paragraph in writing.
Break
To experience a fracture in (a bone, for example)
I broke my wrist when skateboarding.
Pause
(music) A sign indicating continuance of a note or rest.
Break
To crack without separating into pieces
Broke the mirror.
Pause
Alternative spelling of Pause
Break
To destroy the completeness of (a group of related items)
Broke the set of books by giving some away.
Pause
Take pause: hesitate; give pause: cause to hesitate
Break
To exchange for smaller monetary units
Break a dollar.
Pause
A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
Break
To vary or disrupt the uniformity or continuity of
A plain that was broken by low hills.
Caught the ball without breaking stride.
Pause
Temporary inaction or waiting; hesitation; suspence; doubt.
I stand in pause where I shall first begin.
Break
(Electricity) To render (a circuit) inoperative by disruption; open.
Pause
In speaking or reading aloud, a brief arrest or suspension of voice, to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts.
Break
To open (a shotgun or similar firearm) at the breech, as for loading or cleaning.
Pause
In writing and printing, a mark indicating the place and nature of an arrest of voice in reading; a punctuation point; as, teach the pupil to mind the pauses.
Break
To force or make a way through; puncture or penetrate
The blade barely broke the skin.
Pause
A break or paragraph in writing.
He writes with warmth, which usually neglects method, and those partitions and pauses which men educated in schools observe.
Break
To part or pierce the surface of
A dolphin breaking water.
Pause
A hold. See 4th Hold, 7.
Break
To produce (a sweat) copiously on the skin, as from exercise.
Pause
To make a short stop; to cease for a time; to intermit speaking or acting; to stop; to wait; to rest.
Pausing a while, thus to herself she mused.
Break
To force one's way out of; escape from
Break jail.
Pause
To be intermitted; to cease; as, the music pauses.
Break
To make or bring about by cutting or forcing
Break a trail through the woods.
Pause
To hesitate; to hold back; to delay.
Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture.
Break
To find an opening or flaw in
They couldn't break my alibi.
Pause
To stop in order to consider; hence, to consider; to reflect.
Break
To find the solution or key to; uncover the basic elements and arrangement of
Break a code.
Break a spy ring.
Pause
To cause to stop or rest; - used reflexively.
Break
To make known, as news
Break a story.
Pause
A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
Break
To surpass or outdo
Broke the league's home-run record.
Pause
Temporary inactivity
Break
To overcome or put an end to, especially by force or strong opposition
Break a deadlock in negotiations.
Break a strike.
Pause
Interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing;
The speaker paused
Break
(Sports) To win a game on (an opponent's service), as in tennis.
Pause
Cease an action temporarily;
We pause for station identification
Let's break for lunch
Break
To lessen the force or effect of
Break a fall.
Break
To render useless or inoperative
We accidentally broke the radio.
Break
To weaken or destroy, as in spirit or health; overwhelm with adversity
"For a hero loves the world till it breaks him" (William Butler Yeats).
Break
To cause the ruin or failure of (an enterprise, for example)
Indiscretion broke both marriage and career.
Break
To reduce in rank; demote.
Break
To cause to be without money or to go into bankruptcy.
Break
To fail to fulfill; cancel
Break an engagement.
Break
To fail to conform to; violate
Break the speed limit.
Break
(Law) To cause (a will) to be invalidated because of inconsistency with state inheritance laws or as a result of other legal insufficiency.
Break
To give up (a habit).
Break
To cause to give up a habit
They managed to break themselves of smoking.
Break
To train to obey; tame
The horse was difficult to break.
Break
To become separated into pieces or fragments.
Break
To become cracked or split.
Break
To become fractured
His arm broke from the fall.
Break
To become unusable or inoperative
The television broke.
Break
To give way; collapse
The scaffolding broke during the storm.
Break
To burst
The blister broke.
Break
To intrude
They broke in upon our conversation.
Break
To filter in or penetrate
Sunlight broke into the room.
Break
To scatter or disperse; part
The clouds broke after the storm.
Break
(Games) To make the opening shot that scatters the grouped balls in billiards or pool.
Break
(Sports) To separate from a clinch in boxing.
Break
(Sports) To win a game on the opponent's service, as in tennis
Broke twice in the first set.
Break
To move away or escape suddenly
Broke from his grip and ran off.
Break
To come forth or begin from a state of latency; come into being or emerge
A storm was breaking over Miami. Crocuses broke from the soil.
Break
To emerge above the surface of water.
Break
To become known or noticed
The big story broke on Friday.
Break
To change direction or move suddenly
The quarterback broke to the left to avoid a tackler.
Break
(Baseball) To curve near or over the plate
The pitch broke away from the batter.
Break
To change suddenly from one tone quality or musical register to another
His voice broke into a falsetto.
Break
(Linguistics) To undergo breaking.
Break
To change to a gait different from the one set. Used of a horse.
Break
To interrupt or cease an activity
We'll break for coffee at ten.
Break
To discontinue an association, an agreement, or a relationship
The partners broke over a financial matter. One hates to break with an old friend.
Break
To diminish or discontinue abruptly
The fever is breaking.
Break
To diminish in or lose physical or spiritual strength; weaken or succumb
Their good cheer broke after repeated setbacks.
Break
To decrease sharply in value or quantity
Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs.
Break
To come to an end
The cold spell broke yesterday.
Break
To collapse or crash into surf or spray
Waves that were breaking along the shore.
Break
(Informal) To take place or happen; proceed
Things have been breaking well for them.
Break
To engage in breaking; break dance.
Break
The act or an occurrence of breaking.
Break
The result of breaking, as a crack, separation, or opening
A break in the clouds.
Break
The beginning or emergence of something
The break of day.
Break
A sudden movement; a dash
The dog made a break toward the open field.
Break
An escape
A prison break.
Break
An interruption or a disruption in continuity or regularity
Television programming without commercial breaks.
Break
A pause or interval, as from work
A coffee break.
Break
A sudden or marked change
A break in the weather.
Break
A violation
A security break.
Break
An often sudden piece of luck, especially good luck
Finally got the big break in life.
Break
An allowance or indulgence; accommodating treatment
The boss gave me a break because I'd been sick.
Break
A favorable price or reduction
A tax break for charitable contributions.
Break
A severing of ties
Made a break with the past.
A break between the two families.
Break
(Informal) A faux pas.
Break
A sudden decline in prices.
Break
A caesura.
Break
The space between two paragraphs.
Break
A series of three dots ( ... ) used to indicate an omission in a text.
Break
The place where a word is or should be divided at the end of a line.
Break
(Electricity) Interruption of a flow of current.
Break
(Geology) A marked change in topography such as a fault or deep valley.
Break
(Nautical) The point of discontinuity between two levels on the deck of a ship.
Break
The point at which one register or tonal quality changes to another.
Break
The change itself.
Break
An improvised instrumental solo played in jazz and other popular music while the other musicians stop or play softly.
Break
A change in a horse's gait to one different from that set by the rider.
Break
(Sports) The swerving of a ball from a straight path of flight, as in baseball or cricket.
Break
(Sports) The beginning of a race.
Break
A fast break.
Break
The separation after a clinch in boxing.
Break
(Games) The opening shot that scatters the grouped balls in billiards or pool.
Break
(Games) A run or unbroken series of successful shots, as in billiards or croquet.
Break
Sports & Games Failure to score a strike or a spare in a given bowling frame.
Break
(Sports) A service break.
Break
Variant of brake6.
Break
Break dancing.
Break
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.
In order to tend to the accident victim, he will break the window of the car.
Break
To crack or fracture (bone) under a physical strain.
His ribs broke under the weight of the rocks piled on his chest.
She broke her neck.
He slipped on the ice and broke his leg.
Break
(transitive) To divide (something, often money) into smaller units.
Can you break a hundred-dollar bill for me?
The wholesaler broke the container loads into palettes and boxes for local retailers.
Break
To turn an animal into a beast of burden.
You have to break an elephant before you can use it as an animal of burden.
Break
(intransitive) To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief.
My heart is breaking.
Break
(transitive) To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate.
I've got to break this habit I have of biting my nails.
To break silence; to break one's sleep; to break one's journey
I had won four games in a row, but now you've broken my streak of luck.
Break
To end the run of (a play).
Break
(transitive) To ruin financially.
The recession broke some small businesses.
Break
To fail in business; to go broke, to become bankrupt.
Break
Of prices on the stock exchange: to fall suddenly.
Break
(transitive) To violate; to fail to adhere to.
When you go to Vancouver, promise me you won't break the law.
He broke his vows by cheating on his wife.
Break one's word
Time travel would break the laws of physics.
Break
To go down, in terms of temperature, indicating that the most dangerous part of the illness has passed.
Susan's fever broke at about 3 AM, and the doctor said the worst was over.
Break
To end.
The forecast says the hot weather will break by midweek.
Break
To begin or end.
We ran to find shelter before the storm broke.
Around midday the storm broke, and the afternoon was calm and sunny.
Break
To arrive.
Morning has broken.
The day broke crisp and clear.
Break
To render (a game) unchallenging by altering its rules or exploiting loopholes or weaknesses in them in a way that gives a player an unfair advantage.
Changing the rules to let white have three extra queens would break chess.
I broke the RPG by training every member of my party to cast fireballs as well as use swords.
Break
To stop, or to cause to stop, functioning properly or altogether.
On the hottest day of the year the refrigerator broke.
Did you two break the trolley by racing with it?
Break
To cause (some feature of a program or piece of software) to stop functioning properly; to cause a regression.
Adding 64-bit support broke backward compatibility with earlier versions.
Break
(transitive) To cause (a barrier) to no longer bar.
Break a seal
Break
(specifically) To cause the shell of (an egg) to crack, so that the inside (yolk) is accessible.
Break
(specifically) To open (a safe) without using the correct key, combination, or the like.
Break
(transitive) To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce.
The cavalry were not able to break the British squares.
Break
To collapse into surf, after arriving in shallow water.
Break
(intransitive) To burst forth; to make its way; to come into view.
Break
(intransitive) To interrupt or cease one's work or occupation temporarily; to go on break.
Let's break for lunch.
Break
(transitive) To interrupt (a fall) by inserting something so that the falling object does not (immediately) hit something else beneath.
He survived the jump out the window because the bushes below broke his fall.
Break
To disclose or make known an item of news, a band, etc.
The newsman wanted to break a big story, something that would make him famous.
I don't know how to break this to you, but your cat is not coming back.
When news of their divorce broke, ...
Break
To become audible suddenly.
Break
(transitive) To change a steady state abruptly.
His coughing broke the silence.
His turning on the lights broke the enchantment.
With the mood broken, what we had been doing seemed pretty silly.
Break
To (attempt to) disengage and flee to; to make a run for.
Break
To suddenly become.
Things began breaking bad for him when his parents died.
The arrest was standard, when suddenly the suspect broke ugly.
Break
To become deeper at puberty.
Break
To alter in type due to emotion or strain: in men, generally to go up, in women, sometimes to go down; to crack.
His voice breaks when he gets emotional.
Break
(transitive) To surpass or do better than (a specific number); to do better than (a record), setting a new record.
He broke the men's 100-meter record.
I can't believe she broke 3 under par!
The policeman broke sixty on a residential street in his hurry to catch the thief.
Break
:
Break
To win a game (against one's opponent) as receiver.
He needs to break serve to win the match.
Break
To make the first shot; to scatter the balls from the initial neat arrangement.
Is it your or my turn to break?
Break
To remove one of the two men on (a point).
Break
To demote; to reduce the military rank of.
Break
(transitive) To end (a connection); to disconnect.
The referee ordered the boxers to break the clinch.
The referee broke the boxers' clinch.
I couldn't hear a thing he was saying, so I broke the connection and called him back.
Break
To demulsify.
Break
To counter-attack.
Break
To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate.
Break
(intransitive) To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength.
Break
(transitive) To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of.
To break flax
Break
(transitive) To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss.
Break
(intransitive) To make an abrupt or sudden change; to change gait.
To break into a run or gallop
Break
To fall out; to terminate friendship.
Break
To terminate the execution of a program before normal completion.
Break
To suspend the execution of a program during debugging so that the state of the program can be investigated.
Break
(computing) To cause, or allow the occurrence of, a line break.
Zero-width non-breaking space
Break
To B-boy; to breakdance.
Break
An instance of breaking something into two or more pieces.
The femur has a clean break and so should heal easily.
Break
A physical space that opens up in something or between two things.
The sun came out in a break in the clouds.
He waited minutes for a break in the traffic to cross the highway.
Break
A rest or pause, usually from work.
Let’s take a five-minute break.
Break
A time for students to talk or play between lessons.
Break
A scheduled interval of days or weeks between periods of school instruction; a holiday.
Winter break, spring break
Break
A short holiday.
A weekend break on the Isle of Wight
Break
A temporary split with a romantic partner.
I think we need a break.
Break
An interval or intermission between two parts of a performance, for example a theatre show, broadcast, or sports game.
Break
A significant change in circumstance, attitude, perception, or focus of attention.
Big break
Lucky break, bad break
Break
(finance) A sudden fall in prices on the stock exchange.
Break
The beginning (of the morning).
At the break of day
Break
An act of escaping.
Make a break for it, for the door
It was a clean break.
Prison break
Break
The separation between lines, paragraphs or pages of a written text.
Break
(computing) A keystroke or other signal that causes a program to terminate or suspend execution.
Break
(programming) breakpoint
Break
A change, particularly the end of a spell of persistent good or bad weather.
Break
:
Break
(tennis) A game won by the receiving player(s).
Break
The first shot in a game of billiards.
Break
(snooker) The number of points scored by one player in one visit to the table.
Break
(soccer) The counter-attack.
Break
(golf) The curve imparted to the ball's motion on the green due to slope or grass texture.
Break
(surfing) A place where waves break (that is, where waves pitch or spill forward creating white water).
The final break in the Greenmount area is Kirra Point.
Break
(horse racing) The start of a horse race.
Break
(dated) A large four-wheeled carriage, having a straight body and calash top, with the driver's seat in front and the footman's behind.
Break
(equitation) A sharp bit or snaffle.
Break
(music) A short section of music, often between verses, in which some performers stop while others continue.
The fiddle break was amazing; it was a pity the singer came back in on the wrong note.
Break
(music) The point in the musical scale at which a woodwind instrument is designed to overblow, that is, to move from its lower to its upper register.
Crossing the break smoothly is one of the first lessons the young clarinettist needs to master.
Break
(music) The transition area between a singer's vocal registers; the passaggio.
Break
An area along a river that features steep banks, bluffs, or gorges (e.g., Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, US).
Break
An error.
Break
(music) A section of extended repetition of the percussion break to a song, created by a hip-hop DJ as rhythmic dance music.
Break
To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as, to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock.
Break
To lay open as by breaking; to divide; as, to break a package of goods.
Break
To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate.
Katharine, break thy mind to me.
Break
To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise.
Out, out, hyena! these are thy wonted arts . . . To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray.
Break
To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate; as, to break silence; to break one's sleep; to break one's journey.
Go, release them, Ariel;My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore.
Break
To destroy the completeness of; to remove a part from; as, to break a set.
Break
To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce; as, the cavalry were not able to break the British squares.
Break
To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments.
The victim broke in pieces the musical instruments with which he had solaced the hours of captivity.
Break
To exchange for other money or currency of smaller denomination; as, to break a five dollar bill.
Break
To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of; as, to break flax.
Break
To weaken or impair, as health, spirit, or mind.
An old man, broken with the storms of state.
Break
To diminish the force of; to lessen the shock of, as a fall or blow.
I'll rather leap down first, and break your fall.
Break
To impart, as news or information; to broach; - with to, and often with a modified word implying some reserve; as, to break the news gently to the widow; to break a purpose cautiously to a friend.
Break
To tame; to reduce to subjection; to make tractable; to discipline; as, to break a horse to the harness or saddle.
Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute?
Break
To destroy the financial credit of; to make bankrupt; to ruin.
With arts like these rich Matho, when he speaks,Attracts all fees, and little lawyers breaks.
Break
To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss.
I see a great officer broken.
Break
To come apart or divide into two or more pieces, usually with suddenness and violence; to part; to burst asunder.
Break
To open spontaneously, or by pressure from within, as a bubble, a tumor, a seed vessel, a bag.
Else the bottle break, and the wine runneth out.
Break
To burst forth; to make its way; to come to view; to appear; to dawn.
The day begins to break, and night is fled.
And from the turf a fountain broke,and gurgled at our feet.
Break
To burst forth violently, as a storm.
The clouds are still above; and, while I speak,A second deluge o'er our head may break.
Break
To open up; to be scattered; to be dissipated; as, the clouds are breaking.
At length the darkness begins to break.
Break
To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength.
See how the dean begins to break;Poor gentleman! he droops apace.
Break
To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief; as, my heart is breaking.
Break
To fall in business; to become bankrupt.
He that puts all upon adventures doth oftentimes break, and come to poverty.
Break
To make an abrupt or sudden change; to change the gait; as, to break into a run or gallop.
Break
To fail in musical quality; as, a singer's voice breaks when it is strained beyond its compass and a tone or note is not completed, but degenerates into an unmusical sound instead. Also, to change in tone, as a boy's voice at puberty.
Break
To fall out; to terminate friendship.
To break upon the score of danger or expense is to be mean and narrow-spirited.
Fear me not, man; I will not break away.
He had broken down almost at the outset.
This radiant from the circling crowd he broke.
Break
An opening made by fracture or disruption.
Break
An interruption of continuity; change of direction; as, a break in a wall; a break in the deck of a ship.
Break
An interruption; a pause; as, a break in friendship; a break in the conversation.
Break
An interruption in continuity in writing or printing, as where there is an omission, an unfilled line, etc.
All modern trash isSet forth with numerous breaks and dashes.
Break
The first appearing, as of light in the morning; the dawn; as, the break of day; the break of dawn.
Break
A large four-wheeled carriage, having a straight body and calash top, with the driver's seat in front and the footman's behind.
Break
See Commutator.
Break
Some abrupt occurrence that interrupts;
The telephone is an annoying interruption
There was a break in the action when a player was hurt
Break
An unexpected piece of good luck;
He finally got his big break
Break
(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other;
They built it right over a geological fault
Break
A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions);
They hoped to avoid a break in relations
Break
A pause from doing something (as work);
We took a 10-minute break
He took time out to recuperate
Break
The act of breaking something;
The breakage was unavoidable
Break
A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
Break
Breaking of hard tissue such as bone;
It was a nasty fracture
The break seems to have been caused by a fall
Break
The occurrence of breaking;
The break in the dam threatened the valley
Break
The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
Break
(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving;
He was up two breaks in the second set
Break
An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity;
It was presented without commercial breaks
Break
A sudden dash;
He made a break for the open door
Break
Any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare;
The break in the eighth frame cost him the match
Break
An escape from jail;
The breakout was carefully planned
Break
Terminate;
She interrupted her pregnancy
Break a lucky streak
Break the cycle of poverty
Break
Become separated into pieces or fragments;
The figurine broke
The freshly baked loaf fell apart
Break
Destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments;
He broke the glass plate
She broke the match
Break
Render inoperable or ineffective;
You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!
Break
Ruin completely;
He busted my radio!
Break
Act in disregard of laws and rules;
Offend all laws of humanity
Violate the basic laws or human civilization
Break a law
Break
Move away or escape suddenly;
The horses broke from the stable
Three inmates broke jail
Nobody can break out--this prison is high security
Break
Scatter or part;
The clouds broke after the heavy downpour
Break
Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up;
Break into tears
Erupt in anger
Break
Prevent completion;
Stop the project
Break off the negociations
Break
Enter someone's property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act;
Someone broke in while I was on vacation
They broke into my car and stole my radio!
Break
Make submissive, obedient, or useful;
The horse was tough to break
I broke in the new intern
Break
Fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns;
This sentence violates the rules of syntax
Break
Surpass in excellence;
She bettered her own record
Break a record
Break
Make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret;
The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold
The actress won't reveal how old she is
Bring out the truth
He broke the news to her
Break
Come into being;
Light broke over the horizon
Voices broke in the air
Break
Stop operating or functioning;
The engine finally went
The car died on the road
The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town
The coffee maker broke
The engine failed on the way to town
Her eyesight went after the accident
Break
Interrupt a continued activity;
She had broken with the traditional patterns
Break
Make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing;
The ranks broke
Break
Curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves;
The surf broke
Break
Lessen in force or effect;
Soften a shock
Break a fall
Break
Be broken in;
If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress
Break
Come to an end;
The heat wave finally broke yesterday
Break
Vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity;
The flat plain was broken by tall mesas
Break
Cause to give up a habit;
She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes
Break
Give up;
Break cigarette smoking
Break
Come forth or begin from a state of latency;
The first winter storm broke over New York
Break
Happen or take place;
Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months
Break
Cause the failure or ruin of;
His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage
This play will either make or break the playwright
Break
Invalidate by judicial action;
The will was broken
Break
Discontinue an association or relation; go different ways;
The business partners broke over a tax question
The couple separated after 25 years of marriage
My friend and I split up
Break
Assign to a lower position; reduce in rank;
She was demoted because she always speaks up
He was broken down to Sargeant
Break
Reduce to bankruptcy;
My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!
The slump in the financial markets smashed him
Break
Change directions suddenly
Break
Emerge from the surface of a body of water;
The whales broke
Break
Break down, literally or metaphorically;
The wall collapsed
The business collapsed
The dam broke
The roof collapsed
The wall gave in
The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice
Break
Do a break dance;
Kids were break-dancing at the street corner
Break
Exchange for smaller units of money;
I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy
Break
Destroy the completeness of a set of related items;
The book dealer would not break the set
Break
Make the opening shot that scatters the balls
Break
Separate from a clinch, in boxing;
The referee broke the boxers
Break
Go to pieces;
The lawn mower finally broke
The gears wore out
The old chair finally fell apart completely
Break
Break a piece from a whole;
Break a branch from a tree
Break
Become punctured or penetrated;
The skin broke
Break
Pierce or penetrate;
The blade broke her skin
Break
Cease an action temporarily;
We pause for station identification
Let's break for lunch
Break
Interrupt the flow of current in;
Break a circuit
Break
Undergo breaking;
The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages
Break
Find a flaw in;
Break an alibi
Break down a proof
Break
Find the solution or key to;
Break the code
Break
Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another;
Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children
Break
Happen;
Report the news as it develops
These political movements recrudesce from time to time
Break
Become fractured; break or crack on the surface only;
The glass cracked when it was heated
Break
Of the male voice in puberty;
His voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir
Break
Fall sharply;
Stock prices broke
Break
Fracture a bone of;
I broke my foot while playing hockey
Break
Diminish or discontinue abruptly;
The patient's fever broke last night
Common Curiosities
Why are breaks important in the workplace?
Breaks help prevent burnout, reduce stress, and increase productivity by giving employees time to recuperate.
What is the main difference between a pause and a break?
A pause is a brief halt, intending to resume shortly, while a break is a longer interruption, often for rest.
How does taking breaks affect learning?
Taking breaks during study sessions can improve focus, retention, and overall learning efficiency.
What types of activities typically involve scheduled breaks?
Scheduled breaks are common in structured settings like schools, workplaces, and events.
Can a pause become a break?
Yes, if a pause extends beyond a brief moment and leads to a substantial stoppage, it can become a break.
How can one effectively use pauses in public speaking?
In public speaking, pauses can be used to emphasize points, allow the audience to absorb information, and manage pace.
Is a pause always planned?
Not necessarily; pauses can be spontaneous, such as pausing to answer an unexpected question.
What are some examples of pauses in communication?
Pauses in communication include stopping to think before answering a question or pausing between sentences for clarity.
Can taking breaks be detrimental?
If breaks are too frequent or too long, they can disrupt rhythm and decrease efficiency, but generally, they are beneficial.
What is the effect of not taking enough breaks?
Not taking enough breaks can lead to increased stress, decreased productivity, and health issues like eye strain and repetitive stress injuries.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
