“Brake” and “break” sound identical. Both words can be a noun or a verb. They’re even anagrams of one another! But when it comes to their meanings, these terms are entirely distinct.
How, then, can you be sure that you’re using “brake” and “break” correctly? Check out our guide to make sure your writing is always error free.
Used as a verb (i.e., an action word) “brake” means “slow down or stop a vehicle.” For instance:
The car braked before it hit the curb.
As a noun, a “brake” is a device used to stop or slow down a vehicle:
Always check your car’s emergency brake before a long journey.
We can also use this word figuratively when not discussing vehicles. For example, if we pause a project that is underway to do more planning, we might say that we are “putting the brakes on it.”
“Break” actually has several meanings. As a verb, it can mean to:
It is worth noting that the simple past tense and past participle forms of this verb are “broke” and “broken” respectively, not “breaked.” This is because “break” is an irregular verb.
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As a noun, meanwhile, a “break” can be a:
The word “break” also features in a number of phrases, such as “breaking bad.” These can be tricky if you’re not a native English speaker, but keep an ear out for how they are used and don’t be afraid to look up unfamiliar phrases.
These terms have so many meanings between them that it can get confusing! However, the word “brake” is always related to slowing something down or stopping it (both as a verb and a noun). If you are dealing with any other situation, the correct word will be “break.” Remember:
Brake (verb) = To slow down or stop
Brake (noun) = A device for slowing a vehicle down
Break (verb) = To damage, violate, or interrupt something
Break (noun) = A point of damage, a pause, or a vacation
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