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
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
Police believe the earlier break-ins are connected with another burglary that took place on Mohr Avenue on Wednesday night.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Friday is expected to bring near-record high temperatures and a break in the rain.
—Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break-in
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Noun
Thompson kept the Caps in it with a couple of good saves after that, the best being on a partial break-in by Arvidsson, whose backhander could not find its way through the five-hole.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
Police believe the earlier break-ins are connected with another burglary that took place on Mohr Avenue on Wednesday night.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
His opening match at the Australian Open nearly ended quickly against compatriot Marcos Giron, who Tien trailed by a break in the fourth set before turning the match around to win in five sets.
—Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Friday is expected to bring near-record high temperatures and a break in the rain.
—Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Mar. 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 9 Mar. 2026.
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