30 Collocations with Break You Should Know

Collocations are pairs or groups of words that are often used together. Using collocations can make your English sound more natural. Here are 30 most common collocations with “break,” each with a definition, phonetic transcription, and examples.

30 Most Common Collocations with Break

Collocations with Break: Unlock the power of phrases! Discover 30 essential collocations to enhance your English fluency and communication skills.

1. Break a Habit 🚬

Definition: To stop doing something that is a regular practice or habit.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ə ˈhæbɪt/

Examples:

1. It can be challenging to break a habit of smoking.
2. She decided to break a habit of biting her nails.

2. Break the Law 🚔

Definition: To violate or go against legal rules.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə lɔː/

Examples:

1. If you break the law, you will face consequences.
2. Breaking the law can lead to serious penalties.

3. Break the News 📢

Definition: To inform someone of important news, often of a negative nature.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə njuːz/

Examples:

1. He had to break the news about the accident to his family.
2. It’s never easy to break the news of a loved one’s passing.

4. Break a Record 🏅

Definition: To surpass a previous achievement or record.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ə ˈrekɔːrd/

Examples:

1. She trained hard to break a record in the marathon.
2. The athlete broke a record that had stood for ten years.

5. Break a Promise 🤝

Definition: To fail to keep a promise.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ə ˈprɒmɪs/

Examples:

1. He felt guilty for breaking a promise to his friend.
2. It’s important not to break a promise to children.

6. Break the Silence 🤫

Definition: To speak after a period of silence.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə ˈsaɪləns/

Examples:

1. She finally broke the silence with a laugh.
2. He decided to break the silence and address the issue.

7. Break the Ice ❄️

Definition: To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social setting.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ði aɪs/

Examples:

1. His joke helped to break the ice at the party.
2. Icebreakers are used to break the ice in meetings.

8. Break Ground 🚧

Definition: To begin a new construction project.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk graʊnd/

Examples:

1. They will break ground on the new library next month.
2. The company plans to break ground on its new headquarters soon.

9. Break Free 🕊️

Definition: To escape from restraint or confinement.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk friː/

Examples:

1. The captive bird managed to break free from its cage.
2. She needed to break free from her toxic relationship.

10. Break the Bank 💸

Definition: To use up all of one’s money or resources.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə bæŋk/

Examples:

1. Buying that car won’t break the bank.
2. They tried to enjoy their vacation without breaking the bank.

11. Break Even ⚖️

Definition: To neither gain nor lose money in a financial situation.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ˈiːvən/

Examples:

1. After a year, the business finally broke even.
2. Their goal was to break even by the end of the quarter.

12. Break a Leg 🎭

Definition: A way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ə leɡ/

Examples:

1. Before the play, everyone told her to break a leg.
2. Break a leg on your presentation today!

13. Break the Mold 🧱

Definition: To do something in a new, innovative way.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə məʊld/

Examples:

1. His unique approach to the project really broke the mold.
2. The new CEO aims to break the mold with her innovative strategies.

14. Break New Ground 🌱

Definition: To do something innovative that has not been done before.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk njuː graʊnd/

Examples:

1. Their research is breaking new ground in cancer treatment.
2. The artist broke new ground with her latest exhibition.

15. Break the Rules 🚫

Definition: To violate the rules of a game or system.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə ruːlz/

Examples:

1. If you break the rules, you will be disqualified.
2. Breaking the rules can result in severe consequences.

16. Break One’s Heart 💔

Definition: To cause someone great emotional pain.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk wʌnz hɑːrt/

Examples:

1. It broke his heart to see her leave.
2. She didn’t want to break his heart with the bad news.

17. Break the Back Of 🏋️

Definition: To overcome the main difficulty of a task.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə bæk ʌv/

Examples:

1. We’ve broken the back of the project, now just the finishing touches remain.
2. Breaking the back of the workload allowed them to relax.

18. Break Down 🚗

Definition: To stop functioning (for machines) or to lose control emotionally.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk daʊn/

Examples:

1. The car broke down on the highway.
2. She broke down in tears after hearing the news.

19. Break the Habit 🚫🚬

Definition: To stop a habitual action.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə ˈhæbɪt/

Examples:

1. He is trying to break the habit of procrastination.
2. Breaking the habit of eating junk food can be tough.

20. Break Up 💔

Definition: To end a relationship or to disperse.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ʌp/

Examples:

1. They decided to break up after five years together.
2. The police were called to break up the fight.

21. Break Out 🔥

Definition: To escape or to begin suddenly.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk aʊt/

Examples:

1. The prisoners tried to break out of jail.
2. A fire broke out in the kitchen.

22. Break Through 🌅

Definition: To make a significant discovery or progress.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk θruː/

Examples:

1. Scientists broke through in their search for a cure.
2. The company is trying to break through in the tech market.

23. Break Off ✂️

Definition: To end abruptly.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ɒf/

Examples:

1. They decided to break off the engagement.
2. He had to break off the conversation to take an urgent call.

24. Break Away 🏃

Definition: To leave or escape from a group.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk əˈweɪ/

Examples:

1. She decided to break away from the band and go solo.
2. The colony broke away from the empire to form a new nation.

25. Break In 🔓

Definition: To enter a place illegally or to interrupt.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ɪn/

Examples:

1. Someone tried to break in last night.
2. He broke in on our conversation to share the news.

26. Break Out In 🛑

Definition: To develop a skin condition suddenly.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk aʊt ɪn/

Examples:

1. She broke out in a rash after eating shellfish.
2. He broke out in hives due to an allergic reaction.

27. Break Up With 💔👫

Definition: To end a romantic relationship.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ʌp wɪð/

Examples:

1. She broke up with him over the phone.
2. It’s hard to break up with someone you care about.

28. Break Off Relations 🛑🌐

Definition: To

end a formal relationship or communication.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ɒf rɪˈleɪʃənz/

Examples:

1. The two countries decided to break off relations.
2. Breaking off relations can lead to increased tensions.

29. Break In Shoes 👟

Definition: To wear new shoes until they are comfortable.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ɪn ʃuːz/

Examples:

1. I need to break in these new shoes before the hike.
2. Breaking in shoes can prevent blisters.

30. Break the News To 🗣️

Definition: To inform someone about something, especially if it is bad news.
Phonetic Transcription: /breɪk ðə njuːz tuː/

Examples:

1. He had to break the news to her gently.
2. It’s difficult to break the news to someone about a tragedy.

Conclusion

Understanding and using collocations with “break” can significantly enhance your English proficiency. Practice these collocations in sentences to become more familiar with their usage. Happy learning!

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