1
: violently separated into parts : shattered
broken windows
2
: damaged or altered by or as if by breaking (see break entry 1): such as
a
: having undergone or been subjected to fracture
a broken leg
b
: not working properly
a broken camera
c
of land surfaces
: being irregular, interrupted, or full of obstacles
a long broken ridge
d
: violated by transgression : not kept or honored
a broken promise
e
: discontinuous, interrupted
a broken sleep
f
: disrupted by change
g
of a tulip flower
: having an irregular, streaked, or blotched pattern especially from virus infection
3
4
a
: cut off : disconnected
spoke a few broken words
b
: imperfectly spoken or written
broken English
5
: not complete or full
a broken bale of hay
6
: disunited by divorce, separation, or desertion of one parent
children from broken homes
a broken family
brokenly
adverb
Examples of broken in a Sentence
The street was covered with broken glass.
a broken vase that could not be repaired
Recent Examples on the Web
Deo’s family told the outlet that the car had a broken window and blood on the front seat, and his shoes were left inside.
—
Rhiannon Saegert, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
Infielder Nick Madrigal was moved to the 60-day IL with a broken shoulder to make room on the 40-man roster.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2025
The Pretty Little Liars alum, 37, also shared a 2019 post from the hairstylist’s account of them posing back to back with the broken heart emoji.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
The broken pieces appeared to fit together, with some of the runic script from one stone continuing onto another, and the scientists realized the fragments were all once part of a single stone.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for broken
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Rhiannon Saegert, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
Infielder Nick Madrigal was moved to the 60-day IL with a broken shoulder to make room on the 40-man roster.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2025
The Pretty Little Liars alum, 37, also shared a 2019 post from the hairstylist’s account of them posing back to back with the broken heart emoji.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
The broken pieces appeared to fit together, with some of the runic script from one stone continuing onto another, and the scientists realized the fragments were all once part of a single stone.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for broken
Cite this Entry
“Broken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broken. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
broken
adjective
bro·ken
ˈbrō-kən 
1
: shattered into pieces
broken glass
2
a
: rough entry 1 sense 1a, uneven
broken terrain
b
: having gaps or breaks
a broken line
3
: not kept
a broken promise
4
: subdued completely
a broken spirit
5
: imperfectly spoken
broken English
6
: having undergone fracture
a broken leg
7
: having one parent missing (as because of divorce)
children from broken homes
brokenly
adverb
Medical Definition
broken
adjective
bro·ken
ˈbrō-kən
: having undergone or been subjected to fracture
a broken leg
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