break in 1 of 2

1
as in to invade
to enter a house or building by force usually with illegal intent the burglars broke in by smashing a window

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to interrupt
to cause a disruption in a conversation or discussion he rudely broke in to drop the names of several celebrities that he had met

Synonyms & Similar Words

break-in

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of break-in
Verb
There was no museum video of the break-in. Greg Palkot, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025 Sergei Bobrovsky did have to make a good save on break-in from Mark Kastelic and Jeffrey Viel tried to get the B’s going with a bout against Jonah Gadjovich, eventually forcing the Panther onto his back. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
To minimize risks during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises incorporating frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025 The brazen daytime heist at the museum last Sunday stunned France, when four men, dressed as workmen, broke in through an upper floor window using a ladder on a moving truck. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 26 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for break-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break-in
Verb
  • In the middle of the festivities, Cameron and Ray watch as it's revealed that Iraq has invaded Kuwait.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • But when Russia invaded Ukraine, South Africa repeatedly abstained from United Nations votes on the war—rankling officials in Washington.
    Richard Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His solitude is interrupted by the arrival of his brother Jem (Sean Bean), who is looking for a connection with his son Brian (Samuel Bottomley), and seeking Ray’s help.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The program serves just shy of 42 million Americans—although benefits are going to be interrupted in November due to a lack of appropriations stemming from the ongoing government shutdown.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • There were no injuries as a result of the burglary, according to Pix 11 News.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
  • He was sentenced to 17 years for armed kidnapping and 17 years for armed burglary with assault or battery.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But these criminals weren't robbing the Louvre museum in Paris.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The rigidity that had robbed her of movement began to ease off.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Even though this would be the second rate cut in a row, many of those consumer rates are likely to stay higher, for now.
    Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Who is affected by SNAP cuts in NC?
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • One potential holdup to the potential blockbuster deal is the salary-cap implications.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Another holdup was that the county needed to deliver a certain amount of trash to the landfills to meet their contract obligations.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Staged to look like a random mugging of a courier, the robbery was, in fact, a sophisticated heist that would ultimately involve the Provisional IRA, the New York mafia and the Colombian cartel.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The mugging of his early selfies has vanished.
    David Kamp, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Break-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break-in. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

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