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
Vanderpump Rules picked up filming off-season when Scandoval broke in 2023. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 July 2026 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
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 See All Example Sentences for break in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break in
Verb
  • The 39 days of the World Cup definitely had their moments of politics invading what was hoped to be a sporting sanctuary.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • This is eroding Putin’s persistent attempts to guard the Russian population from the negative impact of invading Ukraine.
    Ihor N. Stelmach, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
Verb
  • Children interrupting, meals being made, the day being talked over.
    Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • While baking soda is famously good at deodorizing smelly things, adding salt to compost piles can interrupt the composting process.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • Many of the non-violent crimes tracked in the report also saw declines, including a 13% drop in residential burglaries year over year and a 50% drop in burglaries compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • Residential burglaries fell 13% from a year earlier and were down about 50% compared with 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • Denton police arrested a man who robbed a bank in the Rayzor Ranch area, and discovered that he was already wanted in a robbery in Arkansas, the department said.
    Mary Ella Hastings July 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026
  • One of them is planning to rob the house and needs help tracking down the valuables inside.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • Campbell said the measure could be an important tool for recouping the $6 million the city cut in this year’s budgeting process, but not if the measure was destined to fail.
    Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
  • When an excitable teenager cut in front of my dad, Frankenstein — without saying a word — gestured for the kid to be patient and wait, patted my dad on the back and posed for a picture.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Police are investigating an armed holdup that occurred at a west Fort Worth title loan business Wednesday morning.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • And, as with most engines, a timely tuneup helps ensure smooth and predictable functioning, avoiding hiccups or holdups.
    The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026
Noun
  • Is a 1-game suspension enough for the mugging?
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026
  • While investigating this incident, CPD also learned that a shot was fired during a mugging, also in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 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 27 Jul. 2026.

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