broke 1 of 2

Definition of brokenext

broke

2 of 2

verb

past tense of break
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as in demoted
to bring to a lower grade or rank the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander

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as in deciphered
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park mathematicians broke the Enigma code being used by the Nazis

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as in plowed
to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows

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as in died
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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as in ruined
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts another bad investment could break him

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as in surfaced
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

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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 broke
Adjective
An eccentric poodle breeder lures a broke college student to her remote ranch with a promise of research funding. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026 Such strong characterizations and go-for-broke performances, especially among the women, make up for some decidedly contrived plotting. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
The solar pump extracting the groundwater broke. Julie Bourdin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026 Another broke free from one of the men, who tried to stand up on its back, and galloped toward North College Street where it was hit by a passing car. Charlotte Observer, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for broke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke
Adjective
  • The Braves couldn’t overcome a poor start from Reynaldo López and saw their six-game winning streak fall by the wayside in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday at Nationals Park.
    Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 22 Apr. 2026
  • In the days leading up to his fatal overdose, Prince was in poor health and was forced to cancel shows in Atlanta.
    Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Now, with missiles intercepted over Gulf capitals and air travel repeatedly disrupted, the long-standing stability of Dubai expat life is being questioned.
    Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The case stems from the September 2024 fire at the BioLab facility, which sent a large plume of smoke into the air, forced more than 17,000 people to evacuate and about 90,000 others to shelter in place, and disrupted nearby businesses and neighborhoods.
    Jamal Goss, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • By January 5, the team was back in Spain preparing for the Champions Cup in London, which ended on February 1.
    Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Cobb police did not immediately comment on how the search for Damian Strozier, 31, ended.
    Vanessa McCray, AJC.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Mavromatis alleges that she was demoted and then fired.
    Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
  • After an investigation, the lawsuit says Mavromatis was demoted to social media manager of merchandise.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The researchers then deciphered certain traits that were linked to the habit.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Kinsella was excited for Yates’ voice to be an easter egg—one of many voices to be deciphered by fans among a scream-singing chorus.
    Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Schuch paused in front of a Tetra Pak carton of Côtes du Rhône, noting that while such packaging had gone over fine in Nordic countries, French consumers had rejected it vehemently.
    Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Luxury brands across the Gulf have watched demand fall as much as 70% since the war began, LVMH is shipping inventory out of the region, and Hermès has paused deliveries to stores in Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait entirely, The New York Times reported.
    Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Nvidia — Shares of the chip giant popped about 1% as investors plowed money back into tech stocks.
    Davis Giangiulio,Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Jaylin Williams plowed through a screening Murray as Jokic drained a triple, enabling the Nuggets to tie it with a fortuitous 4-point play.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • For traders, the 50-day was violated during the pullback but the stock fought back above it, and that matters.
    Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The case is one of dozens of lawsuits filed in 2013 alleging oil giants, including Chevron and Exxon, violated state environmental laws for decades.
    Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Broke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

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