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to stop doing something that you do regularly, often something you want to stop
He tried to break the habit of checking his phone first thing in the morning.
He tried to stop checking his phone immediately after waking up.
Breaking the habit of procrastination is easier said than done.
Stopping the habit of delaying tasks is difficult in practice.
Often implies effort or struggle to change a behavior.
Always follow 'break the habit' with 'of' + gerund (verb-ing) to specify the behavior. Example: 'break the habit of eating late at night.'
Do not confuse this phrasal verb with its literal meaning. 'Break the habit' does not involve physical breaking but refers to stopping a repeated action.
The phrase combines 'break' (to stop or interrupt) and 'habit' (a settled tendency or practice). The verb 'break' in this context has been used since the 16th century to mean 'to discontinue,' while 'habit' derives from Old French 'habit' (clothing, custom), ultimately from Latin 'habitus' (condition, appearance).
Commonly used in personal development, psychology, and everyday conversation. Often implies a conscious effort to change behavior. Can be used literally (e.g., breaking a physical habit like smoking) or figuratively (e.g., breaking a mental habit like overthinking).