breakage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, technical, business
Quick answer
What does “breakage” mean?
The action or fact of breaking something, or the state of being broken.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The action or fact of breaking something, or the state of being broken.
An object or amount that has been broken; a loss or cost resulting from damage; a commercial deduction allowed for goods broken in transit or storage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Usage is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral/technical in both. Slightly more common in business/inventory contexts.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in written, professional contexts than in casual speech in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “breakage” in a Sentence
[NOUN] breakagebreakage of [NOUN]breakage in [NOUN GROUP]breakage on [ITEM]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “breakage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - 'breakage' is a noun only.
American English
- N/A - 'breakage' is a noun only.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A - The related adjective is 'broken'. 'Breakage' can be used attributively (e.g., breakage costs).
American English
- N/A - The related adjective is 'broken'. 'Breakage' can be used attributively (e.g., breakage allowance).
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in logistics, warehousing, and retail to account for damaged stock. 'The annual breakage rate for fragile items is 2%.'
Academic
Used in materials science, engineering, or archaeology. 'The study analysed the breakage patterns of Neolithic pottery.'
Everyday
Used when referring to broken household items. 'There was some breakage when we moved house.'
Technical
Used in manufacturing, quality control, or insurance contexts. 'The machine's sensors detect hairline breakage in the material.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “breakage”
- Using 'breakage' as a verb (e.g., 'It will breakage' is wrong). Confusing 'breakage' (the fact/instance) with 'broken' (the state).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. Uncountable: 'We need to reduce breakage.' Countable: 'There were three breakages in the last shipment.'
'Breakage' implies breaking into pieces and is a type of damage. 'Damage' is more general and includes scratches, dents, tears, etc.
Typically for physical objects. Using it for abstract concepts (e.g., 'breakage of trust') is rare and stylistically marked, usually replaced by 'breaking' or 'breach'.
No. The verb is 'to break'. 'Breakage' is solely a noun derived from that verb.
The action or fact of breaking something, or the state of being broken.
Breakage is usually formal, technical, business in register.
Breakage: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbreɪkɪdʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbreɪkɪdʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms with 'breakage' as the headword.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'BREAKage' as the RESULT or COST of a BREAK. The '-age' suffix turns the verb 'break' into a noun for the event or its consequence.
Conceptual Metaphor
FRAGILITY IS A LIABILITY (e.g., 'breakage costs', 'breakage allowance').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'breakage' LEAST likely to be used?