1
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the judge broke off court proceedings until after lunch
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2
as in to end
to come to an end
talks between the two sides broke off when one began making unreasonable demands
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Recent Examples of break off
The report noted that there appeared to be evidence of up to 65 degrees of stretching of the continental crust, allowing for Zealandia to break off from the larger continents.
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Devika Rao, theweek, 17 Sep. 2024
When a starfish is under stress from a predatory attack, this hormone is secreted, stimulating a muscle at the base of the animal’s arm that allows the arm to break off.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2024
After questioning his maturity for most of their time together, Hannah Jiles broke off her tumultuous relationship with Nick Dorka weeks before walking down the aisle.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
An Italian woman surfing an island break off the west coast of Sumatra died in a freak accident when a swordfish impaled her, according to reports.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break off 
Devika Rao, theweek, 17 Sep. 2024
When a starfish is under stress from a predatory attack, this hormone is secreted, stimulating a muscle at the base of the animal’s arm that allows the arm to break off.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Sep. 2024
After questioning his maturity for most of their time together, Hannah Jiles broke off her tumultuous relationship with Nick Dorka weeks before walking down the aisle.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
An Italian woman surfing an island break off the west coast of Sumatra died in a freak accident when a swordfish impaled her, according to reports.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 22 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break off
Verb
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Donations dwindle, while volunteers from the opposite side of the country stop coming or divert to another disaster.Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024
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Musk—who sued OpenAI in March—now alleges that OpenAI is attempting to eliminate its competitors by stopping its investors from funding rival AI firms.Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 16 Nov. 2024
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Next week: Mesa Ridge at Montrose, TBA No. 3 Pueblo West beat No. 19 Golden, 49-7: Two weeks removed from their first loss of the season, the Cyclones ended a streak of three straight Round of 16 exits with a rout of Golden.Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 17 Nov. 2024
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The president-elect, who has vowed to end federal policies that encourage EV sales, has previously targeted environmental regulations that mandate lower-pollution emissions.Pat Maio, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
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People also could order food online to pick up at different locations with the Order Ahead program, but that service will cease when the Feed Rogers building opens and people can shop for their own food again.Gael Langdon, arkansasonline.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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But as Trump’s presidency went on and his comments and actions didn’t cease to shock, Weymar and her Tiny Pricks community remained as emboldened as ever to bear witness to and record the political climate through craft.Gabby Shacknai, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Just extending the expiring tax cuts would drive up deficits by $4.6 trillion over 10 years, and all of Trump’s campaign plans would add much as $7.75 trillion, according to estimates by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group.Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
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Gensler’s term expires in June 2026, but some researchers expect Gensler to resign from his post.William Gavin, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Biden administration has ramped up efforts that have so far failed to secure cease-fires to end Israel’s deadly assault on Gaza and secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas, as well as halt Israel’s bombardment and fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon.Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
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The plane maker had seen most of its airplane production halted since the middle of September as more than 32,000 of its unionized machinists went on strike .Sean Conlon, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
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As first reported by the Associated Press, their discovery concludes a decades-long mystery about their whereabouts while highlighting numerous stories previously lost to history.Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
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If the settlement agreement says what specific claims the payments are for and ideally how they should be taxed, the IRS may say thank you, and conclude the audit.Robert W. Wood, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Would Powell quit his job if an angry Trump told him to?Melvin Backman, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
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He is sated, and out to quit and take up golf or bowling.Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024
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But even if some of the government support for electric vehicles is now trimmed or cut off, as is likely with Trump’s victory, Musk’s wealth will remain firmly intact.CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Trump could carry out his threats to cut off wildfire aid for California if reelected.Christian Orozco, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Break off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20off. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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