1
: the act or action of breaking in
a rash of break-ins at the new apartment house
2
: a performance or a series of performances serving as a trial run
3
: an initial period of operation during which working parts begin to function efficiently
broke in; broken in; breaking in; breaks in
1
: to enter something (such as a building or computer system) without consent or by force
2
a
: intrude
break in upon his privacy
b
: to interrupt a conversation
3
: to start in an activity or enterprise
breaking in as a cub reporter
1
: to accustom to a certain activity or occurrence
break in the new clerk
2
: to overcome the stiffness or newness of
break in a pair of shoes
Synonyms
Examples of break-in in a Sentence
Verb
the burglars broke in by smashing a window
he rudely broke in to drop the names of several celebrities that he had met
Recent Examples on the Web
Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024
Officers were called to the store that morning by somebody who told police that two people were in the store with a flashlight about 5 a.m.
Police said security footage confirmed that the two were involved in the break-in of the store.
—Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2024
Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2024
My beloved pair of Madewell’s Baggy Jeans from last fall have broken in perfectly and become one of my most worn pieces of denim.
—Sarah Chiwaya, refinery29.com, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break-in 
Noun
Encino has been a hot spot for home break-ins recently, but burglars were unsuccessful in getting into the house of Reggie Bush.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024
Officers were called to the store that morning by somebody who told police that two people were in the store with a flashlight about 5 a.m.
Police said security footage confirmed that the two were involved in the break-in of the store.
—Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2024
Verb
When that break in the summer heat hits, some of us get excited for pumpkin spice lattes, cozy sweaters and apple picking.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2024
My beloved pair of Madewell’s Baggy Jeans from last fall have broken in perfectly and become one of my most worn pieces of denim.
—Sarah Chiwaya, refinery29.com, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for break-in
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'break-in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near break-in
Cite this Entry
“Break-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break-in. Accessed 17 Sep. 2024.
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