break off
Britishverb
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to sever or detach or be severed or detached
it broke off in my hands
he broke a piece off the bar of chocolate
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(adverb) to end (a relationship, association, etc) or (of a relationship, etc) to be ended
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(intr, adverb) to stop abruptly; halt
he broke off in the middle of his speech
noun
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Stop abruptly, as in The trade talks broke off yesterday . [First half of 1300s]
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Separate, sever a connection, as in The baby broke off the tops of all the flowers , or The new sect has broken off from the established church . [First half of 1500s]
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End a relationship or friendship, as in Mary broke off her engagement to Rob . [Mid-1600s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We are forming some intermediate products, such as sulfur dioxide. This intermediate product is much easier to break off."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 17, 2026
Surfboard shaper Timmy Patterson told the Orange County Register he survived a near-death experience after being caught inside a set of up to 20-foot waves at a remote break off Dana Point.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2026
“Should we leave NATO? Should we close American bases? Should we break off trade relations? Should we storm McDonald’s?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
When ovarian cancer develops, cancer cells break off from the tumor.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 9, 2026
Behind her back the smallest child pauses to break off the tip of every branch she can reach.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
