break in 1 of 2

Definition of break innext
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

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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

break-in

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of break in
Verb
One of Steves’s golden travel rules is to pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes that are already broken in. Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 13 Sep. 2026 Thursday may bring a break in the heat for some cities like Oklahoma City, but the high heat and humidity are likely to return Friday through Sunday. Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
The defense was expected to go through an early season break-in period given Buffalo introduced four new starters while making the switch to a three-lineman/four linebacker system. ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026 An unusual home break-in involving a bear has evolved into an ongoing threat in one Asheville neighborhood, as the predator continues trying to get into houses, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for break in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break in
Verb
  • Russia was also holding the vote in the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claimed after the war began but still does not fully control, and in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia invaded in 2014.
    Eric Mack, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • It's meant to starve Russian President Vladimir Putin of the resources Moscow needs to continue its war in Ukraine after invading its neighbor more than four years ago.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The first type connects two points on the boundary or crust without being interrupted by other cuts.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Weiss’ overhaul of the show interrupted a critical off-season period when correspondents typically try to file and finish a segment for the fall.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Officer Luis Triunfel, 33, was charged Monday with burglary, grand larceny, computer trespass and tampering with evidence, police said.
    Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Cook County court records indicate Arroyo was convicted of a 1996 felony burglary and sentenced to 18 months' probation.
    Dave Savini, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Kim Kardashian was awarded 1 euro in damages for being the target of an armed heist in 2016 at the Hôtel de Pourtalès in Paris, where she was robbed of millions in jewelry.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The cast works at different speeds and volumes, diffusing the comic potential by robbing the show of a consistent style or tone.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Takaichi introduces tax cut and ambitious spending Takaichi, as part of her measures to combat rising prices, has pushed a two-year cut in the consumption tax to 1% from the current 8% and payouts to households.
    Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The stock traded above $500 in 2021, then spent the next three years getting cut in half, then cut in half again, as growth slowed, the Grail acquisition blew up under regulatory pressure and the market wanted nothing to do with it.
    Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Service learned the holdup was due to the site in question also being considered a homeless encampment.
    Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Lee was convicted of fatally shooting Jimmy Ellis, 53, and Elaine Thompson, 44, during a pawn shop holdup in 1998 in Orrville, about 60 miles west of Montgomery.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The young actors are appealing, led by Lilah Pate and Chabley Ponce; there’s a sweetness and naturalness to their cameraderie that stands out amid so much mugging and gives the film a lift.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Is a 1-game suspension enough for the mugging?
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Break in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20in. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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