Break off means to stop speaking abruptly, or to formally end something: negotiations, talks, an engagement. In the first sense, a person suddenly stops mid-sentence; in the second, one side decides to end things completely.
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break off + talks/negotiations/engagement; break off (stop speaking abruptly)
- She broke off in the middle of her story when she noticed him staring.
- The two companies broke off negotiations after months of disagreement.
- They broke off their engagement after realising they wanted different things.
What changed
First versionShe broke in the middle of the sentence when the phone rang.
RevisionShe broke off in the middle of the sentence when the phone rang.
Without a particle, break usually means to damage something or come apart, which isn't the idea here. Stopping abruptly mid-sentence needs the particle off: break off.
Break off and break up can both describe an ending, but they work differently. After break off, you name what was ended: She broke off the engagement. Break up is usually said about a couple, either with no object or with with: They broke up last year; She broke up with him.
Your turn
The talks were going well until the workers' demands became unrealistic, so the management ___ negotiations.
Show the answer
broke off — Management decided to end the negotiations, and negotiations is named right after the verb — that's broke off. Break up with an object means 'to disperse' (a crowd, a fight) or 'to split into parts', not 'to end negotiations'.
Describe a situation when someone ended negotiations, a relationship or an engagement. Say what exactly was ended and why.
Our company broke off talks with the supplier because they kept missing delivery dates.
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