Definition

The state or condition of being broken, often referring to items that have been damaged or destroyed.

Example

The breakage of the fragile vase was unfortunate and costly.

Conversation

Did you hear about the breakage at the store last night?

Yeah, I saw the news! That’s such a shame.

I hope they have insurance to cover the breakage.

Me too! It must be really stressful for them.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Breakage → It is formed from "break" (from Old English "brecan", meaning to shatter or destroy) and "-age" (a suffix used to form nouns indicating an action or resulting state). The word "breakage" refers to the state or action of something being broken.

Memory Tip

Think of the action of 'shattering' something ('break') and the resulting state indicated by '-age'. This helps you remember that 'breakage' refers to the state of having been broken.

Visually Confused Words