break in 1 of 2

verb

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

Relevance
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

as in burglary

Related Words

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
When news broke in Semafor last month that Paramount was seriously considering a move out of California generally, critics dismissed the threat as a move to manufacture leverage in negotiations. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026 Sakkas conducted research in the 1990s that looked at the DNA of sperm from men with fertility problems and found little breaks in the molecules’ structure. — Sarah Elizabeth Richards, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
Early pilling on high-traffic cushions is being mistaken for a defect rather than a break-in phase. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026 Borg was identified as a suspect in a February break-in of the same building, but he hasn’t been charged, court records show. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for break in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break in
  1. invade
  2. interrupt
  3. burglary
  4. rob
  5. cut in
  6. holdup
  7. mugging
Verb
  • Some tin-pot tyrant decides their country really owns part of another and invades.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Cambodia’s archenemy was neighboring Vietnam, which eventually invaded to oust the Khmer Rouge in 1979.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of invade
Verb
  • While this unfolds, Rebecca is trying to carve out some quality time with Matthijs via a quickie in her office that Ted has the bad timing to interrupt.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The objective is to preserve access while reducing disruption and ensuring that information does not depend on a handful of employees who are most comfortable interrupting the boss.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of interrupt
Noun
  • Along with the WiFi jammer, deputies said they were found to be in possession of false license plates and burglary tools.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors allege that Iriarte-Valdez stabbed Stewart to death with a knife while committing a residential burglary.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of burglary
Verb
  • Amanda Hernandez, the wife of one of the men who posed as a DTE utility worker and was convicted of robbing and killing a Rochester Hills businessman in 2024, was sentenced on Wednesday for her role in the crime.
    — Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • An unassuming woman waltzed through their offices and allegedly robbed the institution of $15 million, armed not with a weapon, but flimsy paperwork and a basket of pies.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of rob
Verb
  • Flames erupt from plane after bird strike A cut in pay for a steady job?
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
  • On the first day of school, Pell said, that number dropped to 69, and he was told the district would hire more contract and assistant SLPs — the same positions the board voted to cut in April.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut in
Noun
  • One holdup has been sorting out which insurance companies covered Riverside for incidents that happened over decades in some cases dating back to the 1960s.
    — Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Common delays include appraisal holdups, missing documentation and employment changes.
    — Sharon Wu, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of holdup
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
Definition of mugging

Browse Nearby Words

breakfronts
break in
break-in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Nglish: Translation of break in for Spanish Speakers

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