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to stop engaging in repetitive or ingrained behaviors
It's hard to break old habits like biting your nails.
Stopping the repetitive action of nail-biting.
She broke old habits by waking up early every day.
She stopped her usual late rising habit.
Often used to describe changing personal behaviors or routines.
The phrase often appears with verbs like 'try,' 'need to,' or 'want to' to express intention: 'I need to break old habits.'
This phrase is figurative. It doesn’t involve physical breaking; it means stopping a repeated action.
The phrase combines 'break' (to stop or end) and 'old habits' (repeated behaviors). The verb 'break' has been used metaphorically since the 14th century to mean 'to end a state or condition.' The phrase emerged in the 19th century as a figurative expression for behavioral change.
Commonly used in personal development contexts. Often implies effort or struggle to change ingrained behaviors.