Engineering English
Breakpoint
Software Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A breakpoint is a designated line or instruction in source code where a debugger pauses execution so that the engineer can inspect the program's state. It allows step-by-step analysis of variables, call stacks, and program flow.
Example in context
“The engineer set a breakpoint inside the loop to examine how the variable changes after each iteration while debugging the sorting algorithm.”
“Mühendis, sıralama algoritmasında hata ayıklarken değişkenin her yinelemeden sonra nasıl değiştiğini incelemek için döngünün içine bir kırılma noktası yerleştirdi.”
Where engineers use it
Breakpoints are a core feature of interactive debuggers. Engineers set breakpoints in IDEs or command-line debuggers to pause execution, evaluate current variable values, inspect the call stack, and step through code line by line to pinpoint defective logic or data issues.
Synonyms: debug breakpoint
Practice: can you use “Breakpoint” at work?
You are investigating a bug where user data seems to be corrupted only when a specific item is added to the cart. What debugging action would you take to pause execution right before the data corruption occurs?
Show a model answer
“Set a breakpoint on the condition check to see why the loop terminates early.”
“Breakpoint” in 21 languages
| English | Breakpoint |
|---|---|
| Turkish | kırılma noktası |
| French | point d'arrêt |
| German | Haltepunkt |
| Spanish | punto de interrupción |
| Chinese | 断点 |
| Arabic | نقطة توقف |
| Portuguese | ponto de parada |
| Russian | точка останова |
| Japanese | ブレークポイント |
| Italian | punto di interruzione |
| Vietnamese | điểm dừng |
| Hindi | ब्रेकपॉइंट |
| Thai | จุดหยุด |
| Indonesian | titik henti |
| Korean | 중단점 |
| Bengali | ব্রেকপয়েন্ট |
| Dutch | breekpunt |
| Swedish | brytpunkt |
| Finnish | keskeytyspiste |
| Ukrainian | точка зупинки |
Frequently asked questions
What does Breakpoint mean in engineering?
A breakpoint is a designated line or instruction in source code where a debugger pauses execution so that the engineer can inspect the program's state. It allows step-by-step analysis of variables, call stacks, and program flow. In Software Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Breakpoint?
Breakpoint is pronounced /ˈbreɪkˌpɔɪnt/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Breakpoint used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The engineer set a breakpoint inside the loop to examine how the variable changes after each iteration while debugging the sorting algorithm.”
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