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 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 Samuelsson’s stick had broken in front of his own net and Arvidsson pounced. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 24 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken in
  1. invaded
  2. interrupted
  3. robbed
  4. cut in
Verb
  • Yaroslav Perepadya has built a life in Davis since fleeing Ukraine with his teenage son after Russia invaded their country in 2022.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Harald was just three years old when German troops invaded Norway forcing his family, along with members of the Norwegian government, to flee to neighboring Sweden.
    — James Frater, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of invaded
Verb
  • The Dolphins interrupted those plans and now will get a look at a quarterback prospect with a strong arm, decent size (6-2), toughness and instinctiveness as a runner.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, data centers may have to wait years for full service or accept provisional connections under which their electricity can be interrupted when the grid is strained.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of interrupted
Verb
  • In October 2025, jewelry worth $102 million was robbed from the Louvre in Paris.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Named after Blythe Street — a short thoroughfare flanked by overcrowded apartments — the crew had robbed, stole, peddled drugs and shot up rivals since the 1980s, seemingly untroubled by the city of Los Angeles’ attempts to defeat it.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of robbed
Verb
  • Stricker Auto Parts made sure every VIN was removed from the body shells, which employees like Woodley then cut in half.
    — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The drop coincides with a 27% cut in enforcement and collection staffing at the IRS, as part of Elon Musk's campaign to boost government efficiency.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 2 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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