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The `break` keyword in JavaScript is used to **stop the execution of a loop or a** `switch` **block** earlier than it would finish naturally.

---

### In loops (`for`, `while`, `do...while`)

`break` immediately ends the loop and **passes control to the next line of code after the loop**.

#### Example:

```javascript
for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
  if (i === 5) {
    break; // Stops the loop when i equals 5
  }
  console.log(i);
}

console.log('Loop finished');
```

**Result:**

```javascript
0
1
2
3
4
Loop finished
```

Here the loop stops as soon as `i` becomes 5.

---

### In a `switch` construct

`break` is used to **exit the** `switch` **block** after running the matching `case`.
Without `break`, execution "falls through" into the next `case`.

#### Example:

```javascript
const day = 2;

switch (day) {
  case 1:
    console.log("Monday");
    break;
  case 2:
    console.log("Tuesday");
    break;
  case 3:
    console.log("Wednesday");
    break;
  default:
    console.log("Another day");
}
```

**Result:**

```javascript
Tuesday
```

Without `break`, if `case 2` had no stop, **all the following case**s would run until a `break` or the end of the block.

---

### A note

- `break` can only be used **inside loops or** `switch`.
- If you just need to **skip an iteration** rather than stop the loop completely, use `continue`.

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