break-in

1 of 2

noun

ˈbrāk-ˌin 

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

break in

2 of 2

verb

broke in; broken in; breaking in; breaks in

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

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

Verb

• burglarize
• burgle

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

Noun

Jewelry worth hundreds of thousands of dollars was taken from the Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley Jr. on Sept. 15 during an afternoon break-in at his home, according to Chief Jason Nelson of the Medina Police Department. —Sara Ruberg, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2024

But this break-in was a bust, cops said, saying the crew fled the scene in the getaway car. —Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 12 Dec. 2024

Verb

In the spring, a trans high school student in Minnetonka had her jaw broken in an assault by another student. —Odette Yousef, NPR, 20 Dec. 2024

Keeping the tempo fast, not having a lot of breaks in between dialogue. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1535, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

break-in

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrā-ˌkin

: an act or instance of breaking in

break in

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)brā-ˈkin

1

: to enter a house or building by force

2

a

: to make used to an activity

breaking in a new employee

b

: to overcome the newness or stiffness of

breaking in a new pair of shoes

Legal Definition

break-in

1 of 2 noun

ˈbrāk-ˌin

: the act or action of breaking in

break in

2 of 2 intransitive verb

: to enter something (as a building or computer system) without privilege (as consent) or by force