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 Samuelsson’s stick had broken in front of his own net and Arvidsson pounced. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken in
Verb
  • That includes Moscow cutting off natural gas supplies to Europe in retaliation for sanctions the West imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 May 2026
  • The pitch was invaded a few seconds after the final whistle.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • Colbert went on to quip about the hantavirus and a sinkhole shutting down a runway at LaGuardia Airport before he was interrupted by Bryan Cranston, who offered from his seat in the audience to be the show’s final guest.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
  • Then Paul Rudd interrupted the monologue, and Tim Meadows interrupted Rudd’s interruption.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • But on a night when Carson Benge was robbed of extra bases twice and Luis Torrens once, his monster mash was especially impressive.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 23 May 2026
  • Department of Justice Less than two hours later, Gonzalez and Harris allegedly robbed the TD Bank in Roslindale.
    CBS News, CBS News, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • The cast chuckled before Griffin cut in with some deep NBA lore.
    Mike Prada, New York Times, 18 May 2026
  • Second round of layoffs in recent years In early 2023, Maher's predecessor, the late John Lansing, ordered a 10% cut in staff.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 18 May 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 25 May. 2026.

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