Cool MateBreach vs They broke through our defences
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Breach
Top 2,000 (common)C1noun
They broke through our defences
Top 3,000 (common)
Most common: Breach
| Breach | They broke through our defences | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/briːtʃ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/briːtʃ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //breɪk θruː//🇺🇸 //breɪk θru// |
| Meaning | To break a law or a promise. | They succeeded in getting past our protection. |
| Example | The team was disappointed by the breach of contract that occurred during the negotiations. | The attackers broke through our defences during the night. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | clear, fundamental, grave, constitute, commit, remedy, in breach of, breach of, a breach of confidence, a breach of trust, (a) breach of confidentiality, clear, fundamental, grave, constitute, commit, remedy, in breach of, breach of, a breach of confidence, a breach of trust, (a) breach of confidentiality, cause, lead to, heal, breach between, breach with | break through a barrier, break through resistance, break through limitations |
| Antonyms | comply, adhere, follow | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'breach' vs 'breech' (the latter refers to a position in childbirth)., Using 'breach' as a transitive verb without a direct object., Incorrectly applying 'breach' in situations that require other terms like 'break' or 'violate'. | Confused with 'break down', which means to stop functioning., Using 'break through' as a noun instead of a verb. |
| Usage notes | Used in legal or formal contexts, often to describe violations of rules or agreements. Avoid in casual conversation unless discussing specific incidents. | Used in contexts of overcoming obstacles or difficulties. Appropriate in both military and metaphorical situations. Can imply success after struggle. |
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Frequently asked questions: Breach vs They broke through our defences
What's the difference between Breach and They broke through our defences?
Breach: To break a law or a promise. They broke through our defences: They succeeded in getting past our protection.
Which is more common: Breach and They broke through our defences?
Breach is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Breach: The team was disappointed by the breach of contract that occurred during the negotiations. They broke through our defences: The attackers broke through our defences during the night.
Can I use Breach and They broke through our defences interchangeably?
Not always. Breach and They broke through our defences are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.