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
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
Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
Following the break-in, police said Kisakye traveled to Miami and began pawning expensive jewelry.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 28 May 2026
Wcco Staff, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Although the country saw a break in violence between rebel groups and the government in the 10 years since the historic agreement between guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the government, criminal gang activity is rising.
—Sebastian Jimenez, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for break-in
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Noun
The leather is buttery-soft with no break-in period, and the bone color is that perfect creamy neutral that goes with everything.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
Following the break-in, police said Kisakye traveled to Miami and began pawning expensive jewelry.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 28 May 2026
Verb
Ferrier fell onto the hood of the car and multiple eyewitnesses reported that Allen tried to accelerate and break in an attempt to get him off.
—Wcco Staff, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Although the country saw a break in violence between rebel groups and the government in the 10 years since the historic agreement between guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and the government, criminal gang activity is rising.
—Sebastian Jimenez, CNN Money, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for break-in
Cite this Entry
“Break-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break-in. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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