break with
Britishverb
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Separate from, sever relations with. For example, On this issue the prime minister was forced to break with his cabinet . [Late 1500s] Also see break off , def. 2 and 3.
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Depart from, reject, as in The couple broke with tradition and decided to write their own marriage vows . [Late 1800s]
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.
They will not break with Washington – they need the Americans too much – but they are looking to diversify their future security.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
He already missed four games before the All-Star break with the same injury, but the Lakers withheld expectations on his status for the final five regular-season games.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
In a break with tradition, Donald Trump’s signature will appear on U.S. bank notes, according to reports.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026
The deployment comes as airports struggle with long delays during a busy travel period for the spring break, with some passengers reporting waits of several hours.
From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026
Babysitting Frankie the day before was one thing, but spending the entire school break with a seven-year-old was completely unfair.
From "The Red Umbrella" by Christina Gonzalez
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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.