---
title: "Kotlin break Statement Tutorial"
url: https://weworkworldwide.com/tutorials/kotlin-break-statement-tutorial-2/
description: "In this section we will learn what the break statement is and how to use it in Kotlin. Note: we’re assuming you’re already familiar with loops like the for"
date: 2026-06-16T17:00:05+00:00
source: https://weworkworldwide.com/llms.txt
---

# Kotlin break Statement Tutorial

In this section we will learn what the break statement is and how to use it in Kotlin.

Note: we’re assuming you’re already familiar with loops like t*he for* and *while* loops.

## break Statement in Kotlin

The break statement is a way of breaking the iteration of a loop before it finishes its iteration normally.

Note that after calling the break statement in a loop, your program will stop that loop (terminates it immediately) and continues to run the instructions after the loop.

## Kotlin break Statement Syntax:

``` line-numbers
break
```

The break statement doesn’t take any value. Simply call this statement in a loop and it will terminate that loop.

## Example: for loop break statement

``` line-numbers
fun main(){
for (num in 10 downTo 0 ){
println("The number is: ${num}")
if (num == 5){
break
}
}
println("This message is coming after the for loop")
}
Output:
The number is: 10
The number is: 9
The number is: 8
The number is: 7
The number is: 6
The number is: 5
This message is coming after the for loop
```

As you can see, the for loop here is supposed to iterate through the sequence from 10 to 0. But then right when the value of the `num` variable reached to 5, a call to the break statement is triggered and caused the loop to break and the instructions after the loop ran afterward.

## Example: while loop break statement

``` line-numbers
fun main(){
var num = 0
while (num <10){
println("The value of the num variable is: ${num}")
if (num == 4){
break
}
num++
}
println("This message is coming after the for loop")
}
Output:
The value of the num variable is: 0
The value of the num variable is: 1
The value of the num variable is: 2
The value of the num variable is: 3
The value of the num variable is: 4
This message is coming after the for loop
```

## Kotlin break Statement in Nested Loop

The break statement can be used within the body of a loop no-matter if that loop is a nested loop or not. But be aware that when calling the break statement in the body of a nested loop, only the inner loop will be ended and not the parent loop!

Basically the break statement only affects its enclosing loop.

## Example: nested loop and break statement

``` line-numbers
fun main(){
for (num in 0..3){
println("*** The value of the num variable is: ${num}***")
for (num2 in 0..4){
println("The value of the num2 variable is:${num2} ")
if (num2 ==3){
break
}
}
}
println("This message is coming after the for loop")
}
Output:
*** The value of the num variable is: 0***
The value of the num2 variable is:0
The value of the num2 variable is:1
The value of the num2 variable is:2
The value of the num2 variable is:3
*** The value of the num variable is: 1***
The value of the num2 variable is:0
The value of the num2 variable is:1
The value of the num2 variable is:2
The value of the num2 variable is:3
*** The value of the num variable is: 2***
The value of the num2 variable is:0
The value of the num2 variable is:1
The value of the num2 variable is:2
The value of the num2 variable is:3
*** The value of the num variable is: 3***
The value of the num2 variable is:0
The value of the num2 variable is:1
The value of the num2 variable is:2
The value of the num2 variable is:3
This message is coming after the for loop
```

## Difference between break and continue (Break vs Continue)

Other than the break statement, there’s another statement called `continue` which we will talk about it in *the Kotlin continue statement section*.

The main difference between the two statements is that:

-   The break statement stops the entire loop and makes a program to  
    continue running the instructions that comes after the loop.

-   On the other hand, the continue statement only stops the current  
    iteration of a loop and makes a program to continue running the next  
    iteration of the same loop. (More about this in the next  
    section)