Synonyms of broke
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as in poor 
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as in disrupted
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as in ended
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as in demoted
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as in deciphered
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as in paused
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as in plowed
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as in violated
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as in solved
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as in damaged
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as in died
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as in retreated
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as in wore
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as in circulated
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as in ruined
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as in began
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as in veered
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as in reduced
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as in exceeded
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as in surfaced
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Example Sentences
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Entries Near
as in poor
lacking money or material possessions
too broke to afford even a used car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in disrupted
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ended
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
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3
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in paused
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity
she broke from her ruminations to find that it was already dinnertime
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6
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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7
as in violated
to fail to keep
had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in solved
to find an answer for through reasoning
Professor Bates broke the problem when she realized that it was possible to synthesize the necessary compounds
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9
as in damaged
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
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10
as in died
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
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11
as in retreated
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the herd of gazelles broke when they saw the lions racing toward them from the ridge above
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12
as in wore
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
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13
as in circulated
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
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14
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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15
as in began
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
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16
as in veered
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
the running back broke to his left before running out of bounds
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17
as in reduced
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
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18
as in exceeded
to go beyond the limit of
a menu with prices that is likely to break the budgets of all but the wealthiest of diners
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of broke
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Businesses go broke, financial institutions fail and economic activity shrivels.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
During her interview with host Jimmy Fallon, Lawrence was jokingly overcome with emotion and broke into dramatic sobs multiple times.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for broke
Adjective
Margaret Qualley, as the former A-lister's younger self, also goes for broke in a film that's a disturbing, hilarious and jaw-dropping hoot.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Businesses go broke, financial institutions fail and economic activity shrivels.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Raiders broke the ice in the first quarter after an errant Crenshaw punt.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
During her interview with host Jimmy Fallon, Lawrence was jokingly overcome with emotion and broke into dramatic sobs multiple times.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for broke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke
Adjective
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The Ministry of Environment blamed this year’s surge on a poor acorn harvest – which drove a similar spate of attacks in 2023.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Rather, the slow start (by Ovechkin’s standards) to this season seemed due more to poor puck luck.—
Sean Gentille,
New York Times,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The shutdown has disrupted federal operations, delayed pay for hundreds of thousands of workers, and put critical programs at risk.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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If the shutdown has not been resolved at the end of this week, there is a big risk Thanksgiving travel could be disrupted, said Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Jim Irsay stood beside his private jet just days after the 2021 season ended and made sure the camera was rolling to capture his thoughts.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
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The first four episodes of Netflix's Squid Game reality competition series ended on an intense cliffhanger.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Sanders demoted offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to quarterbacks coach and stripped the former NFL head coach of play-calling duties.—
Andrew McCarty,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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He is simply demoted in sexiness without fanfare.—
Choire Sicha,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While expeditions in the early 1990s deciphered crucial insights into the ship’s final moments, one expedition drew sharp criticism after a crewman’s body was found.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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All these tropes — gaydar and girls without it — make for easier narratives, but the presumption that the codes of the heart can be deciphered on the body is one that, outside the world of absurdist comedy — and probably sometimes within it as well — can wound and damage.—
Kelly Foster Lundquist,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The mailman paused, checking to see if anyone had noticed or knew the puppy had escaped.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Nearby, Kristen Stewart — who later delivered a keynote speech — paused for the cameras in head-to-toe Chanel, ever the house’s muse.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Tablets will tell drivers if streets have been pre-treated, salted or already plowed – data that will then spill into the Snowplow Tracker for the public to see.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Oct. 2025
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Many had been plowed for agriculture.—
Mike Bezemek,
Outside,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and law firm Covington & Burlington LLP sued on behalf of seven trans and nonbinary individuals saying that the move violated their First Amendment rights.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
6 Nov. 2025
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In 1872, Campbell represented a group of white New Orleans butchers who claimed that efforts by Louisiana’s Reconstruction legislature to regulate their industry violated their Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Broke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.
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