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
Cai Cramer, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
The story begins with a kind of procedural description of a break-in, first as it was experienced by the narrator, and then as it was experienced by his parents and his wife.
—Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
Angel Saunders, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
The Samaritans know the moods of Border Patrol agents and the humor of a welder who fixes breaks in the wall.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break-in 
Noun
The backstrap helped our tester’s heel stay secure in the sandal, which prevented rubbing — essentially all-day comfort with zero break-in time.
—Cai Cramer, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
The story begins with a kind of procedural description of a break-in, first as it was experienced by the narrator, and then as it was experienced by his parents and his wife.
—Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
After learning the broker’s daily routine, Brooklynn plans to break in while the broker is away to find out who is responsible for the ambush and why.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
The Samaritans know the moods of Border Patrol agents and the humor of a welder who fixes breaks in the wall.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break-in
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'break-in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 5 Nov. 2024.
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