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
- brokenly adverb
- brokenness noun
- half-broken adjective
- well-broken adjective
Etymology
Origin of broken
First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective
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.
Johnson, the American who won gold in the women's downhill alpine skiing on Sunday, was among the first to encounter the problem when she showed her broken medal at the post-event media conference.
From Barron's
After saving two break points at the start of the deciding set, Raducanu was broken again as she gingerly failed to chase down a drop shot, before calling out the trainer.
From BBC
He realized that even if Rashawn had made it across, the asphalt would have broken loose and she would have still ended up in the water.
From Literature
“No. People don’t die from a broken ankle. She might have to wear a cast on her leg for awhile, but she won’t die.”
From Literature
The court heard how Teeton was was walking back from his barracks at 17:50 BST when Esan asked him if he could use his phone because his moped had broken down.
From BBC
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.
