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broken in

verb

past participle of break in
1
as in invaded
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 interrupted
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

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 broken in When shopping for your own pair, Foster recommends the brand Tecovas for petites because many of its styles have 14- to 15-inch shafts and tend to arrive feeling already broken in. — Malia Griggs, Glamour, 15 Sep. 2026 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 Diplomatic relations, broken in 2019, were restored in March. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026 Just last week, 65-year-old Lydia Zuniga’s leg was broken in three places after a mentally ill stranger shoved her onto the tracks at a Bronx subway station in an unprovoked attack. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 Despite being broken in the first game and falling down 3-1, Williams eventually forced a tiebreak. — Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 While his Emmy streak was broken in 2024 by The Traitors‘ Alan Cumming, RuPaul’s success goes beyond awards season. — Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 21 June 2026 Ground was broken in Arlington Heights at the site of the new horse racing track, then known as Arlington Park, which was expected to cost $2 million to complete. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026 In his right leg, Adin's tibia bone was broken in half and protruded through the skin. — Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken in
  1. invaded
  2. interrupted
  3. robbed
  4. cut in
Verb
  • By contrast, diesel has been on an upward trajectory since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Even after the United States invaded Afghanistan, killed or captured senior al Qaeda figures and put the organization under extraordinary pressure, the group continued attempting to find ways back into the homeland.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of invaded
Verb
  • That's two decades of growth leadership, interrupted only briefly.
    — Todd Gordon, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The first type connects two points on the boundary or crust without being interrupted by other cuts.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of interrupted
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 nightmare 2019 Fiesta Bowl Winning the national championship in 2024 didn’t quiet a part of the Ohio State fan base that still believes it was robbed in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl loss to Clemson.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of robbed
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
Definition of cut in

Browse Nearby Words

brokenhearted
broken in
broken off
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Broken in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broken%20in. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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