firebreak

American  

[fahyuhr-breyk] / ˈfaɪərˌbreɪk /

noun

1. a strip of plowed or cleared land made to check the spread of a prairie or forest fire.

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firebreak British  

/ ˈfaɪəˌbreɪk /

noun

1. Also: fireguard.   fire line.  a strip of open land in a forest or on a prairie, to arrest the advance of a fire

2. a measure taken to arrest the advance of anything dangerous or harmful

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Etymology

Origin of firebreak

First recorded in 1890–95; fire + break

Example Sentences

"We sighed with relief - strikes act like a firebreak."

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Ota testified he wasn’t concerned about covering up the firebreak as there was already live brush on each side.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2025

"There are teams on either side of a gully cutting into the hillside and cutting down trees to create a firebreak," she explained.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025

In the 1980s, the city developed a mile-long set of 13-story buildings called the Shirahige Higashi—an urban firebreak that also manages to provide housing for 7,000 families.

From Slate • Jan. 14, 2025

But behind it, there’s a clear-cut where they put in a firebreak to protect the houses.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz