Meaning & use
windbreaker
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableAmerican
A thin, light coat that keeps off wind and a little rain.
Grammar: A countable noun: a windbreaker, two windbreakers.
Patterns
- wear a windbreaker
- pull on a windbreaker
I pulled on a windbreaker before our morning jog.
The coach handed out blue windbreakers with the team's logo.
A windbreaker folds small enough to fit in a backpack.
nouncountable
A row of trees, a fence or a wall that shelters land or buildings from strong wind.
Grammar: Can also be written wind break or windbreak.
Patterns
- plant a windbreaker
- a windbreaker of trees
The farmer planted a row of pines as a windbreaker for the orchard.
A tall hedge made a good windbreaker for the garden.
The beach camp used a canvas windbreaker to shelter the cooking fire.
Word forms
| plural | windbreakers |
|---|
Common combinations
- lightweight windbreaker
- Bring a lightweight windbreaker for the boat ride.
- nylon windbreaker
- He wore a bright nylon windbreaker on the ridge.
- zip up a windbreaker
- She zipped up her windbreaker against the gusts.
- hooded windbreaker
- A hooded windbreaker kept off the drizzle.
- windbreaker jacket
- The store sells a windbreaker jacket in every color.
Synonyms and how they differ
- windcheater
- Windcheater is the British word for the same jacket, and it is less common in American usage.
- anorak
- An anorak is a heavier, usually hooded, waterproof jacket that is pulled over the head, while a windbreaker is thinner.
- shell
- A shell is a thin outer layer that can also be waterproof, whereas a windbreaker mainly blocks wind.
- parka
- A parka is a long, warm hooded coat for cold weather, much heavier than a windbreaker.
Word family
Commonly confused: windbreaker or raincoat?
windbreaker vs raincoat
A raincoat is designed to keep out heavy rain, while a windbreaker mainly protects from wind and may soak through in a downpour.
Practice
It was warm but breezy, so Mia took a light ____ for the walk along the cliffs.
Choose one answer.
A windbreaker is a thin jacket that stops wind. An overcoat is too heavy for warm weather, and the other options are not jackets.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “windbreaker”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.