breach
B2Formal, legal, technical, journalistic
Definition
Meaning
An act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, promise, or code of conduct; a gap or rupture in a barrier.
A violation of trust, security, or professional ethics, often causing a breakdown in relations or systems. Can also refer to a specific point where something is broken open or where sea water breaks through a defensive structure like a dyke.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a serious, significant, or fundamental breaking of a rule or structure, more severe than a simple 'violation' or 'break'. As a verb, can be transitive ('breach the wall') or used with abstract nouns ('breach confidentiality').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal differences in core meaning. 'Breach of the peace' is a specific legal term in UK law; in the US, 'disturbing the peace' is more common. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries strong negative connotations of violation, failure, and vulnerability. In military/security contexts, equally serious.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English in formal/legal registers (e.g., 'breach of contract', 'breach of promise'). In American English, 'violation' is sometimes a more frequent near-synonym in everyday contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to breach [NOUN] (e.g., breach the wall, breach the agreement)there is/was a breach of [NOUN] (e.g., a breach of security)to be in breach of [NOUN] (e.g., in breach of regulations)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “step into the breach (to replace someone who is absent or to help in a crisis)”
- “breach of the peace (UK legal term for causing a public disturbance)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers primarily to violations of contracts, confidentiality, or data security protocols. 'The company faced fines for a breach of GDPR.'
Academic
Used in law, ethics, international relations, and history. 'The treaty breach led to diplomatic sanctions.'
Everyday
Most commonly heard in news about 'data breaches' or 'security breaches'. Less frequent in casual conversation.
Technical
In IT/cybersecurity: an unauthorized access event. In engineering: the failure of a structure like a dam or levee.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The hackers breached the hospital's patient records system.
- The rising river threatened to breach the flood defences.
American English
- The company's servers were breached last night.
- Whales can occasionally breach fully out of the water.
adverb
British English
- This word is not standardly used as an adverb.
American English
- This word is not standardly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The breached levee required immediate emergency repairs.
- Breached data is often sold on the dark web.
American English
- The breached contract left them open to litigation.
- After the breached firewall, alarms were triggered.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- A big wave made a breach in the sea wall.
- Telling the secret was a breach of trust.
- The news reported a major data breach at the social media company.
- If you breach the contract, you may have to pay a penalty.
- The investigation found the company to be in serious breach of health and safety regulations.
- The diplomatic breach between the two countries lasted for several years.
- The prosecutor argued that the defendant's actions constituted a fundamental breach of his fiduciary duty.
- The novel explores the psychological breach caused by the trauma of war.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BEACH with a huge crack (BREACH) in the sea wall, letting water through because someone broke the rules and built it poorly. BREACH = BREAK at the BEACH.
Conceptual Metaphor
RULES/AGREEMENTS ARE BARRIERS OR CONTAINERS; BREAKING THEM IS BREACHING/CREATING AN OPENING. (e.g., 'breach of trust', 'breach containment')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'breeches' (брюки) which is pronounced /ˈbrɪtʃɪz/.
- The closest Russian equivalent is often 'нарушение' or 'прорыв', but 'breach' implies a more fundamental break. 'Разрыв' (as in agreement) is also close.
- Avoid using 'breach' for a simple mistake or small error; it's for serious failures.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'breech' (which refers to buttocks or the part of a gun).
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'break' in physical contexts (e.g., 'He breached his leg' is wrong).
- Incorrect preposition: 'breach with the law' should be 'breach of the law'.
Practice
Quiz
In which of these contexts is the use of 'breach' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Breach' often implies a breaking of a specific, formal agreement, barrier, or code (e.g., breach of contract, security breach). 'Violation' can be broader, covering laws, rights, or moral principles (e.g., violation of human rights, traffic violation). They are often interchangeable, but 'breach' sounds more formal and specific.
Yes, but typically for man-made barriers or enclosures (breach a wall, breach a fortress, breach a dam). It is not used for breaking everyday objects (e.g., you don't 'breach a cup').
It's an idiom meaning to replace someone who is suddenly unable to do their job, or to help out in a difficult situation. It originates from military language, where a 'breach' is a gap in defensive walls.
Historically, they share an Old English root related to 'breaking'. However, in modern English, they are distinct words. 'Breech' refers to the rear part of something, like 'breech birth' (baby feet first) or the 'breech' of a firearm.
Collections
Part of a collection
Law and Regulation
C1 · 46 words · Legal language and regulatory frameworks.