broken 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbrō-kən How to pronounce broken (audio)
Definition of brokennext
1
as in shattered
forcibly separated into many pieces a broken vase that could not be repaired

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2
as in jagged
having an uneven edge or outline the broken rim of the antique vase greatly reduces its value

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3
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface that portion of the hiking trail consists of a long, broken mountain ridge

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broken

2 of 2

verb

past participle of break
1
as in disrupted
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase

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2
as in stopped
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end the final vote broke the deadlock

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3
as in demoted
to bring to a lower grade or rank the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander

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4
as in deciphered
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park mathematicians broke the Enigma code being used by the Nazis

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5
as in paused
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity she broke from her ruminations to find that it was already dinnertime

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6
as in plowed
to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows

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7
as in violated
to fail to keep had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone

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8
as in solved
to find an answer for through reasoning Professor Bates broke the problem when she realized that it was possible to synthesize the necessary compounds

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9
as in damaged
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of I broke a tooth on the hard candy

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10
as in stalled
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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11
as in bolted
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening the herd of gazelles broke when they saw the lions racing toward them from the ridge above

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12
as in worn
to use up all the physical energy of the trek up the mountain just about broke me

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13
as in unfolded
to become known as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country

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14
as in ruined
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts another bad investment could break him

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15
as in originated
to come into existence the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking

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16
as in veered
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course the running back broke to his left before running out of bounds

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17
as in reduced
to diminish the price or value of distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks

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18
as in exceeded
to go beyond the limit of a menu with prices that is likely to break the budgets of all but the wealthiest of diners

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19
as in emerged
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

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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
Adjective
Additionally, health inspectors cited other restaurants for broken equipment and improper storage of food. — Vince Basada august 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026 An unlikely working relationship develops between an overzealous tech billionaire and a reluctant writer who realizes the only way to make artificial intelligence any better is to fix the broken real world it’s trained on. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
That is, of course, completely unnecessary as Nolan’s version has broken box-office records and caused an ongoing ticket frenzy. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026 The news was broken on Twitter by publicist Jacob Daneman, then reported by Pitchfork. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for broken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken
  1. shattered
  2. jagged
  3. uneven
  4. disrupted
  5. stopped
  6. demoted
  7. deciphered
  8. paused
Adjective
  • Such liquid imagery makes sense for a man who made his name as a post-everything neo-expressionist by painting images onto shattered ceramic plates and festooning his super-sized works with surfboards and antlers.
    — A.D. Amorosi, SPIN, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Schultz's wife suffered a shattered collarbone and shrapnel injuries to her arm and is expected to undergo additional surgeries, her family told KIVI.
    — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of shattered
Adjective
  • But a little more than a minute after launch, the shuttle exploded, sending jagged plumes across the sky creating an image that would be seared into collective memory.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike oyster mushrooms, however, hen of the woods have a darker brown hue and the edges of the mushrooms are more scalloped and jagged than rounded.
    — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jagged
Adjective
  • Bohm has endured an uneven campaign, showcasing both encouraging offense and periods of struggle, raising concerns about his viability in a contract year.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Fans of celebrity bald eagle Jackie are again grappling with troubling news about her health, the latest downturn in an uneven recovery since her rescue near Big Bear Lake last month.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneven
Verb
  • Analysts point out that the conflicts in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine have disrupted a significant amount of global refining capacity.
    — , CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • After years of digital overload and disrupted routines, people increasingly value the energy of gathering in person—whether at a neighborhood bar, a concert or a packed stadium.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of disrupted
Verb
  • Two national restaurant chains, Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA, which had received peppers from Coast Citrus Distributors, stopped serving the jalapeños.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Both restaurants stopped using them, while Coast Citrus recalled the remaining product and notified customers.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stopped
Verb
  • On Sunday, the Phillies cut Shugart from the 40-man roster and demoted him to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, according to the official transaction log.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Acquiring Vodnik cost Miami Norby (who played in 189 games for the Marlins across three seasons but was demoted to Triple A in June) and May (a pitcher prospect in High A).
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of demoted
Verb
  • Uncertainty notwithstanding, the longevity world has glommed onto the notion that the vaginal microbiome is some kind of exotic tealeaf that can be deciphered—and perfected by purchasing the right supplements.
    — Sarah DiGregorio, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • Its successor script, Linea B, was also a mystery until it was deciphered in 1952 by an amateur linguist and cryptographer Michael Ventris with the help of classicist John Chadwick, both building on patterns in the script first identified by classicist Alice Kober.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Definition of deciphered
Verb
  • Jacob Cowing’s bid to reclaim that role from 2024 has been paused by a hip injury.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • On April 8, 2024, millions of Americans paused their days to step outside to witness an incredibly rare sight.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of paused

Browse Nearby Words

broke in
broken
broken bread
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Cite this Entry

“Broken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broken. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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