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daybreak

daybreaks

Daybreak is the moment in the morning when the sun begins to rise. If you want to see the sunrise over the ocean, you have to wake up well before daybreak.

Daybreak can also be called "sunrise," "dawn," or "the break of day." It's the very first glimpse of sunlight you see in the morning, which happens very early in the summertime and later in winter. Bus drivers, morning radio hosts, and bakers often have to rise before daybreak in order to get to work on time. The break part of the word comes from the Old English root brecan, which means "shatter," but also "burst forth."

Definitions of daybreak
  1. noun
    the first light of day
    synonyms: aurora, break of day, break of the day, cockcrow, dawn, dawning, dayspring, first light, morning, sunrise, sunup
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    Antonyms:
    sundown, sunset
    the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
    type of:
    hour, time of day
    clock time
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘daybreak'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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