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• break-in
  break-in

  noun

  an illegal entry into a home, car, office, etc.
• break in
  break in

  verb

  (sometimes foll by on) to interrupt

break-in

American  

[breyk-in] / ˈbreɪkˌɪn /

noun

break-ins plural

1. an illegal entry into a home, car, office, etc.

2. break-in period.

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break in British  

verb

1. (sometimes foll by on) to interrupt

2. (intr) to enter a house, etc, illegally, esp by force

3. (tr) to accustom (a person or animal) to normal duties or practice

4. (tr) to use or wear (shoes, new equipment, etc) until comfortable or running smoothly

5. (tr) to bring (new land) under cultivation

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noun

1. 1. the illegal entering of a building, esp by thieves

   2. ( as modifier )

      the break-in plans

break in Idioms  

1. Enter by force, as in The thieves broke in through the back door . [Mid-1500s] Also see break into .

2. Also, break in on . Interrupt or disturb something unexpectedly, as in His assistant broke in with the bad news just as we were ready to sign the agreement , or He broke in on our private talks . [Mid-1600s]

3. Train or instruct someone in a new job or enterprise, as in Every semester she had to break in a new teaching assistant . [Late 1700s]

4. Loosen or soften with use, as in It takes a while to break in a pair of new shoes .

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• break-ins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of break-in

First recorded in 1855–60; noun use of verb phrase break in

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

break-in break in break-ins

The break-in at Simply Fish & Chips happened at about 02:00 BST on Saturday morning.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

David Solomon, a 46-year-old who works in real estate, said he became invested in the mayoral race after break-in attempts at his home in Santa Monica Canyon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

The break-in happened just before Beyoncé launched the four-night leg of her Cowboy Carter tour at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

“That break-in period gives them enough time to test the shoes themselves.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

Even after the break-in I didn’t feel so utterly broken, inside and out.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Burglars tried to break in to the Barcelona home of Spain star Lamine Yamal on Wednesday, shortly after he helped La Roja reach their second World Cup final, police and media said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

“I’m telling clients this is the best summer-camp tax break in years, and most of them don’t know it exists yet,” said Jeff Judge, managing partner at Chesapeake Financial Planners in Forest Hill, Md.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026

But after Wales lost possession, star wing Jiuta Wainiqolo surged away with a second searing break in a few minutes to allow Fiji to force a final onslaught on the Welsh line.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

Vance pushed for a break in the talks to allow the Iranians time to consider the proposals, not because of Trump’s post, the official said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

But then, up ahead, we notice a bright spot, a break in the canopy.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

State officials dispute that, saying bears are euthanized only in extreme circumstances such as after they’ve hurt someone or committed repeated break-ins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

In Madrid, Karim Benzema, Rodrygo and Dani Carvajal are among the football stars to have suffered break-ins at their homes in recent years.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

Flock CEO Garrett Langley, an electrical engineer, co-founded the company after a series of break-ins in his Atlanta neighborhood.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

So far this year, nearly 43% fewer burglaries and break-ins have been reported to the LAPD’s Valley Bureau compared to the same time period last year, according to Police Department statistics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026

During a predawn breakfast of liver pate and fig cookies, we gather around Tigris’s television for one of Beetee’s break-ins.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• burglary
• robbery