BRAKES Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

brakes 1 of 2

noun

plural of brake

as in bushes

a thick patch of shrubbery, small trees, or underbrush built a small shelter in the brake to watch for deer

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brakes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of brake

as in slows

to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace braked the car sharply when someone pulled out in front of us

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of brakes

Noun

According to the call log, a witness told police a vehicle was traveling at a high speed, suddenly hit the brakes and went off the roadway, down an embankment. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026 Hitting the brakes and handing control to the federal government just insures that China and other adversaries will leave us in the dust. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 21 Sep. 2026 That support connection could become especially important in a vehicle where nobody can grab the steering wheel or hit the brakes. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026 Rohit then slammed on his brakes and fatally shot himself, according to investigators. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 But putting the brakes on fearful predictions and reclaiming agency over a useful tech tool may be just as important, some researchers say. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Sep. 2026 The Republican president spoke a day after Dario Amodei, CEO of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, said the industry should put the brakes on its fast-moving development to give safety measures time to catch up. — ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026 Four seconds later, Shin said, the throttles were reduced to idle power and the landing gear brakes were reapplied. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026 Nor did Governor Shin Hyun Song rule out another tap of the brakes in the months ahead. — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brakes

Noun

The settlers hurled stones with slings and set the groves on fire, chasing a group of journalists about 80 yards from the scene.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
In Turmus Ayya, a village northeast of Ramallah, Mayor Nawaf Zghoul said settlers early Friday had burned several cars in the hamlet’s surrounding olive groves.

— Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of groves

Noun

Only 10 minutes from the scenic harbor of Camden, the landscape is rural without being rural—in the woods, but just a short drive to seaside life.

— Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
For him, hunting and conservation aren't just about what happens in the woods.

— Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of woods

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braked

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“Brakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brakes. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brakes

noun

verb

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