daybreak

daybreak — noun

1. the early moment each morning when sunlight first becomes visible in the sky, ju

1.nounB1
Definition

the early moment each morning when sunlight first becomes visible in the sky, just before the sun itself appears above the horizon

Example

The fishermen set out at daybreak, hoping for a good catch before noon.

collocation: at daybreak

Aiko woke up at daybreak to watch the sunrise over the mountains.

Common collocations
  • at daybreak
  • by daybreak
  • before daybreak
  • until daybreak
  • from daybreak to
Synonyms
  • dawn

    the closest synonym; slightly more common in everyday speech and also used figuratively (e.g. 'the dawn of a new era')

  • sunrise

    focuses on the moment the sun appears above the horizon, rather than the earlier lightening of the sky

  • first light

    more literary or formal; often used in military or expedition contexts

Antonyms
  • dusk

    the period in the evening when daylight fades

  • nightfall

    the moment when it becomes completely dark

Grammar Patterns

at ~

by ~

before ~

until ~

Common Mistakes

We arrived at a daybreak.
We arrived at daybreak.
Daybreak is uncountable and does not take an article.
We left the party at daybreak and went to the sunrise.
We left the party at daybreak and watched the sunrise.
Daybreak is the gradual lightening of the sky before the sun actually appears; sunrise is the moment the sun becomes visible.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Daybreak, dawn, sunrise, and first light all describe the transition from night to morning, but they differ in timing and register. Daybreak and dawn are largely interchangeable for the moment the sky begins to lighten, though dawn is more common in everyday speech and has broader figurative use ('the dawn of civilization'). Sunrise is more specific — it refers to the instant the sun's edge appears above the horizon, which occurs after daybreak has already begun. First light is a slightly more literary or formal term, often used in military, travel, or outdoor-adventure contexts ('we set off at first light'). Daylight overlaps but is a wider term that covers the entire period of natural light after sunrise, not the transition itself. In practice, 'at daybreak' and 'at dawn' are the most natural choices for describing an early-morning departure, while 'sunrise' is best for describing the visual event of the sun appearing.

dawnsunrise ↗first lightdaylight ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • at daybreak
  • before daybreak
  • by daybreak
  • from daybreak to dusk

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Daybreak comes from Old English 'dæġ' (day) and 'brecan' (to break). The word paints a picture of daylight 'breaking through' the darkness of night — a metaphor that dates back over a thousand years. The same idea appears in related Germanic languages.