Breach means (1) an opening or gap, (2) a violation or disruption, or (3) to make a hole or gap in or to break through. Breech means the lower rear portion of the human trunk or the part of a firearm behind the barrel. The term breech birth (meaning the feet- or buttocks-first delivery of a baby) uses this spelling.
Broach means (1) to make a hole in something, usually to draw off liquid, or (2) to bring up for discussion. The first sense is rare and not to be confused with breach. To breach is to break through; to broach is to make a hole in something for the specific purpose of drawing off liquid.
Examples
These writers use breach correctly:
A shipment of Iranian weapons seized in Nigeria didn’t breach any law, according to a lawyer representing an Iranian national charged with illegally importing them. [Bloomberg]
Two lawmakers have urged the FCC to conduct a full investigation into a privacy breach involving Google’s Street View. [The Hill]
As it breached the surface, the sub’s rudder sliced the hull of the Ehime Maru … [The Japan Times]
Correct use of breech is rare, but we found a couple of examples:
He knows the benefit and downside of the short, recoil-operated, locked-breech semi-automatic Glock 9 mm. [Lewiston Sun Journal]
It bore no more weight than my older brother’s breech birth and my younger brother’s birth via C-section. [San Diego Reader]
And these writers use broach correctly:
A recent letter in your column about disclosing a past relationship has prompted me to finally broach this sensitive topic. [letter to Washington Post]
I hesitated, as I knew I was about to broach a touchy subject. [Los Angeles Times]
