Showing results for "breaking"

• present participle of break.

breaking

¹ American  

[brey-king] / ˈbreɪ kɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of a news story) currently developing or having happened recently and being released for publication or airing, as on television or radio, in print, or on the internet.

   Our network aims to be your trusted source for breaking news, local weather, and sports.

2. coming into being suddenly.

   When I awoke, it was breaking day over the eastern horizon.

3. changing or collapsing suddenly.

   This is a photograph of a breaking wave in the subantarctic waters of the Southern Ocean.

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breaking ² American  

[brey-king] / ˈbreɪ kɪŋ /

noun

1. Phonology. the change of a pure vowel to a diphthong, especially in certain environments, as, in Old English, the change of a vowel to a diphthong under the influence of a following consonant or combination of consonants, as the change of -a- to -ea- and of -e- to -eo- before preconsonantal r or l and before h, as in earm “arm” developed from arm, and eorthe “earth” from erthe.

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breaking ³ American  

[brey-king] / ˈbreɪ kɪŋ /

noun

1. break dancing.

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breaking British  

/ ˈbreɪkɪŋ /

noun

1. linguistics (in Old English, Old Norse, etc) the change of a vowel into a diphthong

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Etymology

Origin of breaking¹

First recorded in 1930–35; break ( def. ) (in the sense “to release a news story for publication”) + -ing ² ( def. )

Origin of breaking²

First recorded in 1870–75; translation of German Brechung; see break, -ing ¹

Origin of breaking³

First recorded in 1980–85; by ellipsis

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

breaking

The Hunters want more consideration for victims during the bail process, as well as more repercussions for breaking bail conditions.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Steel grilled Hester about breaking the rules to communicate with Grant, the other cooperating witness, while the two were locked up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

"What Egypt is seeking is strategic autonomy: not breaking with Washington, not aligning completely with Beijing, but creating enough room to pursue its own national interests," he added.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

Very rare triplets in Los Angeles came close to breaking a world record.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

She was as superstitious as a black cat breaking a mirror in a graveyard.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan