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
Without breaking stride, Hunter blew past four more Utah defenders and hopped into the end zone, a broken play transformed into a work of art.
—
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
De Menezes was on his way to repair a broken fire alarm when he was shot and killed in an underground carriage at Stockwell station.
—Irenie Forshaw, theweek, 12 Nov. 2024
Garland, fully healthy after spending much of last year battling a broken jaw, carved up the Golden State defense that entered the game ranked second in efficiency.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
Directed by its star Chen Yusha, the film follows the fortunes of a young woman dealing with a broken heart — and the increasing demands of adulthood.
—Mathew Scott, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for broken 
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.
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024
De Menezes was on his way to repair a broken fire alarm when he was shot and killed in an underground carriage at Stockwell station.
—Irenie Forshaw, theweek, 12 Nov. 2024
Garland, fully healthy after spending much of last year battling a broken jaw, carved up the Golden State defense that entered the game ranked second in efficiency.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
Directed by its star Chen Yusha, the film follows the fortunes of a young woman dealing with a broken heart — and the increasing demands of adulthood.
—Mathew Scott, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for broken
Dictionary Entries Near broken
Cite this Entry
“Broken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broken. Accessed 21 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share