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
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Sheryl Sandberg, founder of Lean In, emphasizes that the broken rung for women continues to be the most critical finding in the report.
—
Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
Despite estimates that upwards of 1 in 3 women have pelvic floor disorder, experts say a broken system that makes care costly and hard to find.
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Another shard of broken glass that investors will have to tiptoe around are questions about a soft or hard landing.
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In many ways, the narrator is learning how to repair the broken relationship with his father by showing kindness toward his own daughter.
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See all Example Sentences for broken 
Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
Despite estimates that upwards of 1 in 3 women have pelvic floor disorder, experts say a broken system that makes care costly and hard to find.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 17 Sep. 2024
Another shard of broken glass that investors will have to tiptoe around are questions about a soft or hard landing.
—Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 16 Sep. 2024
In many ways, the narrator is learning how to repair the broken relationship with his father by showing kindness toward his own daughter.
—Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for broken
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'broken.' 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 broken
Cite this Entry
“Broken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broken. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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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