1
: the act or action of breaking in
a rash of break-ins at the new apartment house
2
: a performance or a series of performances serving as a trial run
3
: an initial period of operation during which working parts begin to function efficiently
broke in; broken in; breaking in; breaks in
1
: to enter something (such as a building or computer system) without consent or by force
2
a
: intrude
break in upon his privacy
b
: to interrupt a conversation
3
: to start in an activity or enterprise
breaking in as a cub reporter
1
: to accustom to a certain activity or occurrence
break in the new clerk
2
: to overcome the stiffness or newness of
break in a pair of shoes
Synonyms
Examples of break-in in a Sentence
Verb
the burglars broke in by smashing a window
he rudely broke in to drop the names of several celebrities that he had met
Recent Examples on the Web
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Nov. 2024
Patrick Mahomes Calls Burglary at His Kansas City-Area Home 'Frustrating' and 'Disappointing'
At 7:33 p.m. on Oct. 7 as the Chiefs were playing the New Orleans Saints, a break-in occurred at Kelce's home, according to a police report obtained by PEOPLE.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 18 Nov. 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
Hip Fractures Hip fractures are breaks in the upper femur (thigh bone).
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break-in 
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.
Noun
Authorities believe the burglary of Portis and Conley’s homes could possibly be connected due to similarities in the two break-ins, despite occurring in neighboring states.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Nov. 2024
Patrick Mahomes Calls Burglary at His Kansas City-Area Home 'Frustrating' and 'Disappointing'
At 7:33 p.m. on Oct. 7 as the Chiefs were playing the New Orleans Saints, a break-in occurred at Kelce's home, according to a police report obtained by PEOPLE.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 18 Nov. 2024
Verb
Instead of waiting at home to fully recover, Master said, students should return to school with extra support from teachers and breaks in their schedule to relieve symptoms such as headaches or fatigue, with a goal of gradually doing more.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
Hip Fractures Hip fractures are breaks in the upper femur (thigh bone).
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break-in
Dictionary Entries Near break-in
Cite this Entry
“Break-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break-in. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share