broken

adjective

bro·​ken ˈbrō-kən 

1

: violently separated into parts : shattered

broken windows

2

: damaged or altered by or as if by breaking (see break entry 1): such as

a

: having undergone or been subjected to fracture

a broken leg

b

: not working properly

a broken camera

c

of land surfaces : being irregular, interrupted, or full of obstacles

a long broken ridge

d

: violated by transgression : not kept or honored

a broken promise

e

: discontinuous, interrupted

a broken sleep

f

: disrupted by change

g

of a tulip flower : having an irregular, streaked, or blotched pattern especially from virus infection

3

a

: made weak or infirm

his old, broken body

b

: subdued completely : crushed, sorrowful

a broken heart

a broken spirit

c

: bankrupt

d

: reduced in rank

was broken from sergeant to private

4

a

: cut off : disconnected

spoke a few broken words

b

: imperfectly spoken or written

broken English

5

: not complete or full

a broken bale of hay

6

: disunited by divorce, separation, or desertion of one parent

children from broken homes

a broken family

brokenly adverb

brokenness

ˈbrō-kə(n)-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• shattered
• fractured
• smashed

Examples of broken in a Sentence

The street was covered with broken glass.

a broken vase that could not be repaired

Recent Examples on the Web

Even small pieces of space junk (for example, leftover or broken pieces from space launches or nonfunctioning satellites) can have catastrophic effects. —Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025

Case studies from the National Institutes of Health indicate that fewer than 1% of ankle dislocations occur without broken bones. —Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025

Here are some of her best quotes on matters of the (occasionally broken) heart. —Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025

That statistic tells us something is very broken. —Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English brocen, from past participle of brecan to break

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing broken

• broken-down
• broken-field
• broken home
• broken-winded
• like a broken record
• sounds like a broken record
• wind-broken

Rhymes for broken

• oaken
• spoken
• token
• woken
• awoken
• betoken
• heartbroken
• outspoken
• unbroken
• unspoken

Kids Definition

broken

adjective

bro·​ken ˈbrō-kən 

1

: shattered into pieces

broken glass

2

a

: rough entry 1 sense 1a, uneven

broken terrain

b

: having gaps or breaks

a broken line

3

: not kept

a broken promise

4

: subdued completely

a broken spirit

5

: imperfectly spoken

broken English

6

: having undergone fracture

a broken leg

7

: having one parent missing (as because of divorce)

children from broken homes

brokenly adverb

brokenness

-kən-(n)əs 

noun

Medical Definition

broken

adjective

bro·​ken ˈbrō-kən 

: having undergone or been subjected to fracture

a broken leg

Legal Definition

broken

past participle of break