broken in

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 The insoles have built-in arch support with memory foam footbeds, and they’re designed to hug your feet for a snug fit that feels broken in from day one. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2026 Prosecutors alleged Flynn shot Ashley in the back of the head inside their Tipp City home before staging the scene to look like an intruder had broken in. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken in
Verb
  • In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, and Western banks pulled back on lending to Russians.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Romania first shot down drones this year, marking its first such action since Moscow invaded neighboring Ukraine.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But eventually those thoughts were interrupted by a distant grunt.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • He was constantly interrupted by phone calls, the glare of television lights and accepted his good wishes of his friends across the country.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But by and large, audiences were exposed to the horrors of a woman robbed of control over her own mind and body.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The victim told deputies that two men threatened the victim with a firearm, robbed the victim and fled.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The agency also reported that the number of parking tickets issued increased slightly, rising from 455 to 457 per month despite enforcement days being cut in half.
    — Allen Devlin, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In 2023, a cut in the protective netting around an enclosure in the Central Park Zoo allowed a Eurasian eagle-owl to escape into the park.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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