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broken

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verb

past participle of break
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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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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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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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as in stalled
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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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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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
Doughty practiced with the Kings on Monday for the first time since suffering a broken left ankle in a preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 25. Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025 But agency observers say Haaland made gains working to give tribes a seat at the table on land decisions and to right a legacy of historic wrongs in Indian Country, such as broken treaties. Kirk Siegler, NPR, 19 Jan. 2025
Verb
Buffalo’s season is all but over, and the team has looked broken. Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 When the pot was broken, the gifts would spill out, acting as an offering to Huitzilopochtli. Monica Navarro, The Arizona Republic, 24 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for broken 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken
Adjective
  • The highest point, a jagged cluster called the Bavella Needles, soars more than 6,000 feet.
    Sara Lieberman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Now, an apologetic Martin, who says the damage to the bluff was unintentional, has won city of Miami approval for an unprecedented fix — hiring a skilled stonemason to recreate the missing top two-and-a-half feet of the exposed, naturally jagged rock outcropping.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Tackle dryness, fine lines, and uneven tone, while supporting your barrier.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Scientists believe that early in Mars' history, tectonic plate movement and molten rock dynamics may have created an uneven crust.
    Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Details matter, as the characters in Season 2 never stopped reminding us.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
  • In the first day or so after the snow stopped falling, Unified Government crews focused on clearing major thoroughfares.
    Alecia Taylor, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • But even if Rossi does get demoted to PP2, his even-strength time alongside an MVP-caliber winger should make up for it.
    Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Dillingham recalled his early days as a graduate assistant and the time then-Arizona State coach Todd Graham demoted him so former quarterback Taylor Kelly could take his position.
    Doug Haller, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the commission, by approving the plans, has violated their fundamental rights.
    Amy Green, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Months later, the Department of Justice concluded that five Texas juvenile detention centers violated children's constitutional and civil rights.
    Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • People only become dependent if every problem is solved for them.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • This under-desk walking pad solved my problem.
    Cecily McAndrews, Health, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • After realizing the mother of three was awake, the intruder immediately bolted out out of the room.
    Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 17 Dec. 2024
  • An overdose episode — Kiana bolted barefoot from their rural home and went missing overnight in the woods — brought police attention and led to charges for child endangerment.
    John Branch, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • With these acquisitions, the Sky are developing a clear identity for their backcourt: a lengthy and defensive-minded group with an ability to spread the floor via shooting, giving bigs Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso space to work in the paint and low post.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
  • Without Toppin, the Red Raiders tried to spread the floor and attack mismatches, with associate head coach Jeff Linder moving the pieces from the sideline.
    CJ Moore, The Athletic, 2 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near broken

Cite this Entry

“Broken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broken. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.

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