break-in

American  

[breyk-in] / ˈbreɪkˌɪn /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of break-in

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

Example Sentences

Bishop believes the break-in occurred in the early hours of April 10.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Charlotte Head, 29, Samuel Corner, 23, and Leona Kamio, 30, were accused in connection with a break-in at an Elbit Systems site near Bristol.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Vivien Leigh’s Oscar for “A Streetcar Named Desire” was stolen during a break-in in the 1950s.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

It centred around the cover-up of a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 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

Related Words

• burglary
• robbery