Phrasal Verbs with “break”
"Break" forms vivid phrasal verbs about things stopping, starting, and falling apart. Here are the common ones, each with a meaning and an example.
Tip
"Break down" covers machines (stop working), people (cry), and information (analyse) — very different ideas from the same phrasal verb.
8 phrasal verbs with “break”
break down
(of a machine) to stop working; or to lose emotional control; or to analyse into parts.
“Our car broke down on the motorway.”
break up
to end a relationship; or to break into pieces; or (of a group) to split.
“They broke up after two years together.”
break out
to start suddenly (a fire, war, or disease); or to escape.
“A fire broke out in the kitchen.”
break in
to enter a building by force; or to interrupt.
“Thieves broke in during the night.”
break into
to enter forcibly; or to start doing something suddenly.
“Someone broke into the car.”
break off
to stop suddenly; or to separate a piece from something.
“She broke off in the middle of her sentence.”
break through
to force a way through; or to make an important advance.
“Scientists broke through a major barrier.”
break away
to escape from or leave a group.
“He broke away from the pack and won the race.”
Frequently asked
Does "break down" only mean a machine stops?
No — it also means to lose emotional control ("she broke down in tears") and to analyse something ("let's break down the costs"). The context tells you which.
What's the difference between "break in" and "break into"?
They overlap for forced entry. "Break in" can stand alone ("the house was broken in"), while "break into" needs an object ("break into the house") and can also mean to start suddenly ("break into song").