Meanings
verbbreak the news (third-person singular simple present breaks the news, present participle breaking the news, simple past broke the news, past participle broken the news)
present singular third person breaks the news · participle present breaking the news · past broke the news · participle past broken the news · alternative break it · alternative break it to
- To inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person.
I didn't know how to break the news to her that her best friend had been in a car accident.
Translations
Hungarian tudtára ad, elmond
- tudtára adto inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person
- elmondto inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person
- közölto inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person
Russian сообщить новости
- сообщить новостиto inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person
Spanish anoticiar, noticiar
- anoticiarto inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person
- noticiarto inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person
Cite this entry
APA
break the news. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20the%20news
MLA
“break the news.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20the%20news. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “break the news,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20the%20news.
Source: break the news on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.