Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for broken

broken

[broh-kuhn]

verb

  1. past participle of break.



adjective

  1. reduced to fragments; fragmented.

  2. ruptured; torn; fractured.

  3. not functioning properly; out of working order.

  4. Meteorology.,  (of sky cover) being more than half, but not totally, covered by clouds.

  5. changing direction abruptly.

    The fox ran in a broken line.

  6. fragmentary or incomplete.

    a broken ton of coal weighing 1,500 pounds.

  7. infringed or violated.

    A broken promise is a betrayal of trust.

  8. interrupted, disrupted, or disconnected.

    After the phone call he returned to his broken sleep.

  9. weakened in strength, spirit, etc..

    His broken health was due to alcoholism.

  10. tamed, trained, or reduced to submission.

    The horse was broken to the saddle.

  11. imperfectly spoken, as language.

    She still speaks broken English.

  12. spoken in a halting or fragmentary manner, as under emotional strain.

    He uttered a few broken words of sorrow.

    1. (of a relationship) split apart; not intact.

      a broken marriage.

    2. (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.

  13. not smooth; rough or irregular.

    We left the plains and rode through broken country.

  14. ruined; bankrupt.

    the broken fortunes of his family.

  15. Papermaking, Printing.,  a quantity of paper of less than 500 or 1000 sheets.

broken

/ ˈbrəʊkən /

verb

  1. the past participle of break

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. fractured, smashed, or splintered

    a broken vase

  2. imperfect or incomplete; fragmentary

    a broken set of books

  3. interrupted; disturbed; disconnected

    broken sleep

  4. intermittent or discontinuous

    broken sunshine

  5. varying in direction or intensity, as of pitch

    a broken note

    a broken run

  6. not functioning

    a broken radio

  7. spoilt or ruined by divorce (esp in the phrases broken home , broken marriage )

  8. (of a trust, promise, contract, etc) violated; infringed

  9. overcome with grief or disappointment

    a broken heart

  10. (of the speech of a foreigner) imperfect in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation

    broken English

  11. Also: broken-inmade tame or disciplined by training

    a broken horse

    a broken recruit

  12. exhausted or weakened as through ill-health or misfortune

  13. confused or disorganized

    broken ranks of soldiers

  14. breached or opened

    broken defensive lines

  15. irregular or rough; uneven

    broken ground

  16. bankrupt or out of money

    a broken industry

  17. (of colour) having a multicoloured decorative effect, as by stippling paint onto a surface

  18. informal,  drunk

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • brokenly adverb
  • brokenness noun
  • half-broken adjective
  • well-broken adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of broken1

First recorded in 1350–1400, for the adjective
Discover More

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.

Bashir has been out with a broken finger and struggled in England's only warm-up match against England Lions, returning combined figures of 2-151 from 24 overs.

Read more on BBC

I feel like a bit of a broken record, but I’m still saying it’s not time to panic … yet.

Read more on Barron's

The broken promises of utopia are beyond my generation, allowing us to romanticize the security socialism pledges but can’t provide.

“The past few decades have made one thing clear: The status quo is broken,” Walberg said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“While it once might have made sense to partition apps into separate markets of social networking and social media, that wall has since broken down,” said Judge James Boasberg in his decision.

Read more on Barron's

Advertisement

Related Words

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


brokebackBroken Arrow