Showing results for "breaking"

• present participle of break.

breaking

¹ American  

[bray-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  

[bray-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  

[bray-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

Atta Kanaan, a Palestinian resident of Mikhmas who lives 50 metres from the mosque, told AFP that he heard the sound of breaking glass shortly after midnight on Wednesday and immediately went to the building.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

One reason is that digestion involves more than just breaking down food.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

At a 10 a.m. briefing on Sunday morning, the National Weather Service said Las Vegas recorded 1.08 inches of rain since midnight, breaking the daily record for Oct.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

He said: "One of our biggest challenges is breaking through our own ceiling. Too often, our best ideas are developed and scaled overseas, and with it the jobs, technology and investment that goes with them."

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

“Clara,” said Boaz, swallowing hard and not breaking eye contact with the lion.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny