broken
Americanverb
adjective
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reduced to fragments; fragmented.
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ruptured; torn; fractured.
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not functioning properly; out of working order.
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Meteorology. (of sky cover) being more than half, but not totally, covered by clouds.
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changing direction abruptly.
The fox ran in a broken line.
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fragmentary or incomplete.
a broken ton of coal weighing 1,500 pounds.
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infringed or violated.
A broken promise is a betrayal of trust.
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interrupted, disrupted, or disconnected.
After the phone call he returned to his broken sleep.
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weakened in strength, spirit, etc..
His broken health was due to alcoholism.
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tamed, trained, or reduced to submission.
The horse was broken to the saddle.
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imperfectly spoken, as language.
She still speaks broken English.
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spoken in a halting or fragmentary manner, as under emotional strain.
He uttered a few broken words of sorrow.
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(of a relationship) split apart; not intact.
a broken marriage.
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(of a family) disunited or divided by the prolonged or permanent absence of a parent, usually due to divorce or desertion: broken families.
a child from a broken home;
broken families.
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not smooth; rough or irregular.
We left the plains and rode through broken country.
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ruined; bankrupt.
the broken fortunes of his family.
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Papermaking, Printing. a quantity of paper of less than 500 or 1000 sheets.
verb
adjective
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fractured, smashed, or splintered
a broken vase
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imperfect or incomplete; fragmentary
a broken set of books
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interrupted; disturbed; disconnected
broken sleep
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intermittent or discontinuous
broken sunshine
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varying in direction or intensity, as of pitch
a broken note
a broken run
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not functioning
a broken radio
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spoilt or ruined by divorce (esp in the phrases broken home , broken marriage )
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(of a trust, promise, contract, etc) violated; infringed
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overcome with grief or disappointment
a broken heart
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(of the speech of a foreigner) imperfect in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation
broken English
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Also: broken-in. made tame or disciplined by training
a broken horse
a broken recruit
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exhausted or weakened as through ill-health or misfortune
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confused or disorganized
broken ranks of soldiers
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breached or opened
broken defensive lines
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irregular or rough; uneven
broken ground
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bankrupt or out of money
a broken industry
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(of colour) having a multicoloured decorative effect, as by stippling paint onto a surface
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informal drunk
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of broken
First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective
Explanation
Something that's broken is severely damaged — it's either split into pieces or doesn't work anymore. Your broken alarm clock is no help at all when you're trying to get to school on time! If your arm is broken, the bone is physically damaged and needs time to heal before you can use it the way you normally do. And if your mom's favorite teapot is broken after being dropped on the floor, it may be beyond repair. Other things can be metaphorically broken, like a family split by divorce, speech that's not fluent, or your heart: "It's sad that you guys split up, but you're not going to die of a broken heart."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Broken rock fragments like gravel also fit reasonably well, while fine powders or dust alone do not match the observations due to their brighter appearance.
From Science Daily • May 5, 2026
Broken computer monitors in bombed-out offices, scattered fake police uniforms and phoney hundred-dollar bills: these were the vestiges of a frantic escape of suspected cyberscammers fleeing a resort on the Cambodia-Thailand border.
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
Appeared in the February 5, 2026, print edition as 'Huge Bet on Venezuelan Oil Relies on Broken State Firm'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
"I don't try to be controversial," says McGovern, who has written about this topic before in shows including Priest and Broken.
From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025
Broken shingles from the roof covered the floor, there was an empty sack in a corner, some broken earthenware shards, perhaps from a dish or a plate, and a few bones gnawed clean.
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
