Showing results for "broke"

• past tense form of break.
• past participle of break.

broke

American  

[brohk] / broʊk /

verb

1. a simple past tense of break.

2. Nonstandard. a past participle of break.

3. Archaic. a past participle of break.

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adjective

1. without money; penniless.

   Synonyms:

   impoverished, destitute, insolvent

2. bankrupt.

   Synonyms:

   impoverished, destitute, insolvent

noun

1. Papermaking. paper unfit for sale; paper that is to be repulped.

2. brokes, wool of poor quality taken from the neck and belly of sheep.

idioms

1. go broke,

   1. to become destitute of money or possessions.

   2. to go bankrupt.

      In that business people are forever going broke.

2. go for broke, to exert oneself or employ one's resources to the utmost.

broke British  

/ brəʊk /

verb

1. the past tense of break

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adjective

1. informal having no money; bankrupt

2. slang to risk everything in a gambling or other venture

broke More Idioms  

1. see flat broke; go broke; go for (broke); if it ain't broke don't fix it. Also see under break.

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Etymology

Origin of broke

First recorded in 1655–65 for the adjective; 1875–80 for the noun

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

broke

For reference, Scaramucci’s dizzying 2017 arrival and departure broke a 72-year-old record.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Protesters broke into the town hall of France's second-largest city of Marseille before being forced out by police.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

I remember when the news first broke about that, someone said, “Well, I wonder if that’s Alex kind of trolling Musk back.”

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

The court previously heard Hayler had claimed Price had "launched a campaign" against him after their marriage broke down and that the allegations formed part of it.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Torak followed the trail as it hopped along between snowcovered juniper bushes, then broke into long, startled leaps and disappeared up a pine tree.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

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Related Words

• bankrupt
• destitute
• insolvent
• penniless

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