# breach

/ˈbɹitʃ/ (US) · /bɹˈiːtʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/breach
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. breaking a rule or law

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

an act of breaking a law, promise, or agreement.

For teachers: an infraction or violation of a legal obligation, contract, or code of conduct.

- The company was sued for a breach of contract after they failed to deliver the goods.
- The legal team argued that the disclosure of confidential documents constituted a material breach of the non-disclosure agreement signed last year.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'breach of contract' or 'breach of trust'.

### 2. security failure

noun · CEFR B2

an event where a computer system is entered without permission.

For teachers: an incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data is accessed or stolen by an unauthorised person.

- The bank notified its customers about a data breach that exposed their credit card numbers.
- Following the massive security breach, the IT department implemented multi-factor authentication across all internal servers to prevent future intrusions.

### 3. a physical gap

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a hole or opening made in a wall, fence, or defensive line.

For teachers: a physical gap or opening created by force in a fortification, wall, or barrier.

- The soldiers managed to climb through a breach in the castle wall.
- Floodwaters poured through a narrow breach in the levee, threatening to submerge the low-lying farmland within hours.

### 5. whale jumping

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

when a whale or dolphin leaps out of the water.

For teachers: to leap clear of the water, typically said of whales or other large marine mammals.

- We were lucky to see a humpback whale breach right next to our boat.
- Marine biologists observed the pod for several hours, recording the frequency with which the younger males would breach during the mating season.

## Examples

- The company faced a serious data breach last month.
- The lawyer argued that the sudden change in contract terms was a clear breach of their original agreement.
- While the physical breach in the sea wall was repaired quickly, the legal breach of safety protocols led to a lengthy investigation by the maritime authority.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.