break
verb (used with object)
to smash, split, or divide into parts violently; reduce to pieces or fragments.
were breaking
-
past progressiveof break.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Even though it was all just dressup for a photo shoot, the young professionals were breaking the unwritten rule of finance fashion: Never dress above your station—and certainly never better than the boss.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026
Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton said the group were breaking the law by taking up residence on someone else's land.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025
There was a moment when you also asked the officer to show you the specific law that you were breaking concerning your headlights being turned off.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2025
Did it feel like you were breaking new ground?
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2025
In those early days, lightning and ultraviolet light from the Sun were breaking apart the simple hydrogen-rich molecules of the primitive atmosphere, the fragments spontaneously recombining into more and more complex molecules.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
