broken in

Definition of broken innext
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 Doctors told her that her spinal cord was damaged and that her back was broken in half. Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026 Right now, our hearts are broken in a way that words can’t fully express. Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2026 Indoors, opt for light traps, sticky traps, and bug catchers that can capture those who have broken in. Alora Bopray, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026 On Friday, March 20, daily temperature records were broken in Downtown Los Angeles, where a temperature of 96 degrees was recorded, breaking a record of 93 from 1997. Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026 In a season dominated by conversations about all that is broken in college basketball and college athletics, the tournament reared itself to remind everyone what is right. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026 On Thursday, the weather service reported daily temperature records were broken in several locations including Napa (88), Richmond (86), San Francisco (86), Redwood City (91), San Jose (85) and the Salinas Airport (91). Tim Fang, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026 By the time the plane crashed, in a forest at thirty-five hundred feet, its fuselage had broken in two and a trail of debris ten miles long stretched behind it. Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026 West was in a car accident after leaving a recording studio in 2002, which left his jaw broken in three places. Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken in
Verb
  • The war, in which Israel invaded parts of Lebanon, left nearly 2,300 people dead in Lebanon, more than 1 million people displaced and caused wide destruction.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Trump has not even invaded Iran, at least not yet.
    Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The restoration took five years, a passion project that was interrupted by the pandemic.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
  • David Mackenzie’s Fuze kicks off in comically rapid-fire fashion, with brief, interrupted shots of various characters discovering … well, something.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Chicago police issued an alert on Saturday after two pizza delivery drivers were robbed for food on the city's South Side.
    Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • When Holloway pulled the puck back to his forehand to finish into the empty net, he was robbed by Morrissey, who had slid desperately to his left like a street hockey goalie to make a shocking stick save.
    Murat Ates, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released a budget bombshell last year, stunning the city workforce by proposing widespread layoffs and other cuts in a bid to erase a $1-billion spending gap.
    David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
  • But the Cold War analogy cuts in both directions.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Broken in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broken%20in. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

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