icebreaker

noun

ice·​break·​er ˈīs-ˌbrā-kər How to pronounce icebreaker (audio)
1
: a ship equipped (as with a reinforced bow) to make and maintain a channel through ice
2
: something that is done or said to get through the first difficulties in starting a conversation or discussion
Roughly half of all Americans are invested in the market these days, and stock holdings have replaced politics, weather and sports as the go-to conversational icebreaker.Adam Bryant
… she also pays particular attention to icebreakers that relax guests and get them rubbing elbows, such as a cruise up the Colorado River, where guests nibble on hors d'oeuvres and sip Fall Creek wines.Steve Heimoff
see also break the ice at break entry 1

Examples of icebreaker in a Sentence

using an old joke as a conversational icebreaker
Recent Examples on the Web In 1979, the U.S. and Canadian coast guards had 20 icebreakers stationed throughout the Great Lakes. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 For decades, the report adds, Russia actively excluded China and other non-Arctic countries from playing a role there, including denying Chinese scientists the opportunity to conduct research and refusing to help China build icebreakers or share designs. Ken Dilanian, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024 The masks were an enormous icebreaker: even men rarely caught on a dance floor seemed happy. Gloria Steinem, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2024 Presumably, participants could at least skip the icebreakers. Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 For example, leaders across Allstate wanted icebreakers that weren’t overused or boring, so the company allowed access to an employee engagement Zoom plug-in called Funtivity that employees could play in virtual calls. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2023 Russia has 40 icebreakers, some of which are nuclear-powered. Jim Talent, National Review, 6 Jan. 2024 Panda diplomacy—the icebreaker that symbolically and emotionally melted frigid relations between the United States and China in 1972—is, at least for now, over. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2023 One scenario with promise is that the Titan, which was brought to the site from Newfoundland by a former Canadian icebreaker, had jettisoned an attached weight that would allow the craft to rise slowly to the surface. Brian MacQuarrie, BostonGlobe.com, 21 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'icebreaker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of icebreaker was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near icebreaker

Cite this Entry

“Icebreaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/icebreaker. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

icebreaker

noun
ice·​break·​er -ˌbrā-kər How to pronounce icebreaker (audio)
1
: a ship equipped to make and keep open a channel through ice
2
: something (as a joke or game) that makes one feel more at ease and less reserved (as at a party or meeting)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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