Synonyms of break in

break in 1 of 2

verb

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

• invade
• rob
• burglarize
• sack
• stick up
• trespass
• burgle
• rip off
• plunder
• rifle
• loot
• hold up
• ravage
• ransack
• pillage
• despoil
• devastate
• maraud

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

• interrupt
• cut in
• chip in
• intrude
• bother
• put in
• chime in
• add
• interpose
• horn in
• contribute
• barge (in)

break-in

2 of 2

noun

as in burglary

Related Words

• burglary
• holdup
• mugging
• stickup
• theft
• heist
• grab
• snatching
• swiping
• rip-off
• pinch

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of break in

Verb

Soccer fans were here and our producer observed some waiting for breaks in the traffic to pose with their Spanish and French flags by the second X in the middle of the road, in what was quite a bizarre scene. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

The vehicle was parked in a driveway when someone broke in and made off with the firearm, which a source described as a short-barrel rifle favored by law enforcement. — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

Noun

The break-in comes just months after a major heist at the Louvre in Paris, when $102 million worth of 19th-century jewelry was taken. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026

Four people, including a police sergeant, are dead after being shot during a late-night break-in at a northern Ohio home on Sunday, July 5, law enforcement said. — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 6 July 2026