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
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Recent Examples of broke in
When the news broke in newspapers in Zimbabwe that the government was planning to cull 600 elephants, Krog made contact with the conservancy.
—
Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
On Wednesday, police responded to another home in Valley Glen, in the 6800 block of Vanscoy Avenue, where two people wearing gray hoodies broke in.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Among his stops was a key glove save on MacKenzie Weegar when the former Flames defenseman broke in from the blue line all alone.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Selected by Chicago in the third round of the 1980 draft, the center broke in with the Blackhawks by playing one game as a 19-year-old during the 1981-82 season.
—Dylan Olsen, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Off a bad change by the B’s, Timo Meier broke in alone but Korpisalo thwarted his first shot and just managed to get his pad down to smother Meier’s follow-up.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
The center broke in with the Hawks by playing one game as a 19-year-old during the 1981-82 season.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
News broke in June 2025 that Allman was taken to a hospital in San Bernardino County for demonstrating erratic behavior after authorities received a disturbance call.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Given the behind the scenes drama that has enveloped CBS News since Ellison took over Paramount Skydance, the mood was grim at CNN after the news broke in real time Thursday.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 26 Apr. 2026
On Wednesday, police responded to another home in Valley Glen, in the 6800 block of Vanscoy Avenue, where two people wearing gray hoodies broke in.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026
Among his stops was a key glove save on MacKenzie Weegar when the former Flames defenseman broke in from the blue line all alone.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Selected by Chicago in the third round of the 1980 draft, the center broke in with the Blackhawks by playing one game as a 19-year-old during the 1981-82 season.
—Dylan Olsen, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Off a bad change by the B’s, Timo Meier broke in alone but Korpisalo thwarted his first shot and just managed to get his pad down to smother Meier’s follow-up.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
The center broke in with the Hawks by playing one game as a 19-year-old during the 1981-82 season.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
News broke in June 2025 that Allman was taken to a hospital in San Bernardino County for demonstrating erratic behavior after authorities received a disturbance call.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Given the behind the scenes drama that has enveloped CBS News since Ellison took over Paramount Skydance, the mood was grim at CNN after the news broke in real time Thursday.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke in
Verb
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Though prices have climbed at a fast rate since the war started, there were similar market shocks in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
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Simultaneously, Israel invaded Lebanon in an operation that killed thousands, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, and displaced more than a million people, according to the United Nations.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The restoration took five years, a passion project that was interrupted by the pandemic.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
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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
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McCoy was once considered a top-10 pick, but the 6-foot, 195-pound corner sustained a torn ACL during offseason workouts in January 2025 that robbed him of his junior season.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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The terrifying story of how Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint during Paris Fashion Week in 2016 is being made into a Canal+ doc series.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Part of the reason may be that San Diego housing officials got an early and public start on dealing with their own growing budget shortfall and expected cuts in city, state and federal funding.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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When Alexander’s dad attempted to intervene, he too was cut in the left hand by his son, according to cops.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Broke in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20in. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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