Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

broken home

American  
[broh-kuhn hohm] / ˈbroʊ kən ˈhoʊm /

noun

  1. a family in which one parent is absent, usually due to divorce or desertion.

    children from broken homes.


Etymology

Origin of broken home

First recorded in 1840–50

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.

See Examples For:

Wiggins - a gangly north Londoner, from a broken home, brought up in poverty - made it to the very top of a sport that requires clinical preparation and a calm head under pressure.

From BBC May 13, 2025

The adoration he receives online fills a need for belonging that was absent growing up in a broken home.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 4, 2022

The final resting place of a failed business or broken home?

From Slate Jul. 25, 2020

They wanted to know about the broken home and I had that.

From Salon Mar. 6, 2020

They are saddened by me and what they probably think of as my broken home, and don’t know what to say about it.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training