broke 1 of 2

broke

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verb

past tense of break
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as in demoted
to bring to a lower grade or rank the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander

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as in deciphered
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park mathematicians broke the Enigma code being used by the Nazis

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as in plowed
to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows

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as in died
to stop functioning after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day

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as in ruined
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts another bad investment could break him

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as in surfaced
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below dolphins were breaking all around the boat

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of broke
Adjective
Sheinbaum must walk a fine line between her constituents, who don’t want to see Mexico humiliated — or go broke — and the unpredictable, impetuous Trump. Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024 For instance, portfolios with a high equity allocation show a lower probability of going broke when mean reversion is considered, compared with random walk assessments. Larry Light, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
After the news of Zuckerberg’s bunker broke, other one-percenters followed suit. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024 But then the defense broke again on the Blue run. The Athletic College Football Staff, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for broke 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke
Adjective
  • Guatemala, a small, impoverished nation scarred by a brutal civil war, has a substantial undocumented population in the United States.
    Daniele Volpe, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The workshop's initial mission was to provide a trade for widows and other impoverished Palestinian women.
    Lauren Frayer, NPR, 18 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Flights in late afternoon are more likely to be disrupted.
    Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
  • Injuries, however, have disrupted Caruso’s plans.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • That proved to be a toxic relationship that ended badly, with Louis and Claudia nearly killing Lestat and running away to Europe.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Starbucks said Workers United prematurely ended discussions this week.
    Kate Gibson, CBS News, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • But even if Rossi does get demoted to PP2, his even-strength time alongside an MVP-caliber winger should make up for it.
    Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
  • So poor has the fit been between Skinner and the Oilers that the winger didn’t even make it through the first homestand in October before he was demoted out of the top six.
    Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Months later, the Department of Justice concluded that five Texas juvenile detention centers violated children's constitutional and civil rights.
    Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the commission, by approving the plans, has violated their fundamental rights.
    Amy Green, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • People only become dependent if every problem is solved for them.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
  • This under-desk walking pad solved my problem.
    Cecily McAndrews, Health, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Adams Earley died in 2002 at age 83 in Dayton.
    Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2024
  • After a lifetime of making people laugh, Newhart died on July 18 at his home in Los Angeles.
    Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • It’s hardly been altered in the 17,000 years or so since those glaciers retreated.
    Ashley Balzer Vigil, Ars Technica, 21 Dec. 2024
  • But while there are still a lot of questions to be answered, the prospect of a Pixel-like camera design seems to have retreated.
    David Phelan, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near broke

Cite this Entry

“Broke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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