1
: the act or action of breaking in
a rash of break-ins at the new apartment house
2
: a performance or a series of performances serving as a trial run
3
: an initial period of operation during which working parts begin to function efficiently
broke in; broken in; breaking in; breaks in
1
: to enter something (such as a building or computer system) without consent or by force
2
a
: intrude
break in upon his privacy
b
: to interrupt a conversation
3
: to start in an activity or enterprise
breaking in as a cub reporter
1
: to accustom to a certain activity or occurrence
break in the new clerk
2
: to overcome the stiffness or newness of
break in a pair of shoes
Synonyms
Examples of break-in in a Sentence
Verb
the burglars broke in by smashing a window
he rudely broke in to drop the names of several celebrities that he had met
Recent Examples on the Web
Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 May 2024
These were comfortable right out of the box with no break-in period.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Peoplemag, 14 May 2024
Toronto’s CityNews reported a break-in attempt on May 8, which was followed a day later by a report of a shooting outside the MC’s enormous private residence.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 May 2024
Interim Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi has said there were no officers on the Getty House property at the time of the break-in.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2024
Related:Blue Ash police chief alerts residents to ongoing vehicle break-ins
A window punch was used to break the windows around 2:15 a.m.
—Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 9 May 2024
Or the coordinated waves of car break-ins that now ripple through neighborhoods like Waldo on a monthly basis?
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2024
Crime is a ballot ‘vulnerability’ for California Democrats after Schiff, Bass break-ins.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Dead, too, would be the wanted man, Terry Clark Hughes Jr., whose criminal history showed an escalation from a break-in to drug charges to firearms.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024
EW.com, 9 May 2024
The county had recently passed an ordinance requiring employers to give outdoor workers 10-minute breaks in the shade for every two hours worked outside.
—Kate Cimini, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
On the night of April 26, police were called to a home in the 6800 block of Cerritos Avenue, where a male with a gun was reported to have broken in and demanded items from a minor and two adults inside, the Long Beach Police Department said in a statement.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Like a 'Wiggly Angel' After His Rescue In one of the photos, a treat is broken in half, and several twisted metal pieces stick out of the meat-colored center.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
Journal article on Daniels payment, Jan. 12, 2018 Despite Stormy Daniels staying quiet for more than a year after the 2016 election, the story of Cohen's hush money payment to the adult film actress broke in 2018.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 6 May 2024
Most people agree that the market, which divides into dessert—or eating—apples and cider apples, is broken in one way or another.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 May 2024
Even a short break in the records can create problems.
—Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 3 May 2024
The opening is on time this year, a shift from the 2023 season when record snowfall and a break in the region's water pipeline delayed public access.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 2 May 2024
Noun
The realities of crime, such as persistent break-ins, can often muddy the outlook.
—Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 May 2024
These were comfortable right out of the box with no break-in period.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Peoplemag, 14 May 2024
Toronto’s CityNews reported a break-in attempt on May 8, which was followed a day later by a report of a shooting outside the MC’s enormous private residence.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 May 2024
Interim Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi has said there were no officers on the Getty House property at the time of the break-in.
—James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2024
Related:Blue Ash police chief alerts residents to ongoing vehicle break-ins
A window punch was used to break the windows around 2:15 a.m.
—Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 9 May 2024
Or the coordinated waves of car break-ins that now ripple through neighborhoods like Waldo on a monthly basis?
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2024
Crime is a ballot ‘vulnerability’ for California Democrats after Schiff, Bass break-ins.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Dead, too, would be the wanted man, Terry Clark Hughes Jr., whose criminal history showed an escalation from a break-in to drug charges to firearms.
—Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024
Verb
Torrey DeVitto got her big break in the drama series Beautiful People (2005–2006).
—EW.com, 9 May 2024
The county had recently passed an ordinance requiring employers to give outdoor workers 10-minute breaks in the shade for every two hours worked outside.
—Kate Cimini, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
On the night of April 26, police were called to a home in the 6800 block of Cerritos Avenue, where a male with a gun was reported to have broken in and demanded items from a minor and two adults inside, the Long Beach Police Department said in a statement.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Like a 'Wiggly Angel' After His Rescue In one of the photos, a treat is broken in half, and several twisted metal pieces stick out of the meat-colored center.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
Journal article on Daniels payment, Jan. 12, 2018 Despite Stormy Daniels staying quiet for more than a year after the 2016 election, the story of Cohen's hush money payment to the adult film actress broke in 2018.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 6 May 2024
Most people agree that the market, which divides into dessert—or eating—apples and cider apples, is broken in one way or another.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 May 2024
Even a short break in the records can create problems.
—Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 3 May 2024
The opening is on time this year, a shift from the 2023 season when record snowfall and a break in the region's water pipeline delayed public access.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'break-in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near break-in
Cite this Entry
“Break-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break-in. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
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