break in
Third Person
breaks in
Present Participle
breaking in
Past Tense
broke in
Past Participle
broken in
1
to enter someone's property by force and without their consent, particularly to steal something
- The alarm system alerted the police when someone tried to break in.
- The homeowners worried about someone trying to break in while they were away.
- The security system prevented the burglars from breaking in.
- Residents in the apartment complex formed a neighborhood watch after a recent incident of someone trying to break in.
- The restaurant owner reinforced the back entrance because they were worried about someone attempting to break in after hours.
Synonyms:
2
to start to speak in the middle of a conversation
- A shout from the street broke in on their discussion.
- He broke in with a comment as soon as they paused.
- Someone's coughing broke in, disrupting the quiet room.
- The loud noise outside broke in on our conversation.
- The teacher broke in with an important announcement.
3
to start something entirely new or take it to a higher level
transitive
- The company plans to break the product launch in with a grand event.
- The school is excited to break in a digital learning platform.
- They are determined to break in a modern approach to customer service.
- The organization is working to break in innovative practices for better productivity.
- The fashion designer is excited to break in the new collection with a fashion show.
4
to make a horse obedient, typically a young one
transitive
- The cowboy spent weeks breaking in the new ranch horses.
- The trainer emphasized the importance of trust when breaking horses in.
- They started breaking in the young colt as soon as it was ready.
- Breaking the horse in slowly ensured a smooth transition to riding.
- The trainer took the time to break each horse in with care.
Synonyms:
5
to break in a way that causes the broken parts to fall inward
- The roof of the old barn finally started to break in after years of neglect.
- The weakened dam is at risk of breaking in after days of heavy rain.
- The old building started to break in during the earthquake, posing a safety risk.
- The impact of the collision caused the car's windshield to break in.
- The forceful push caused the locker door to break in.
6
to make something work better by using it regularly
transitive
- It's important to break the leather gloves in before playing baseball.
- Regular exercise will break in the new sneakers.
- Regular usage will naturally break in the stiffness of the leather wallet.
- She decided to break the new shoes in by wearing them around the house.
- Breaking in a new mattress involves sleeping on it regularly for a few weeks.
7
to assist someone in getting used to a specific way of behaving or working
transitive
- The team leader aimed to break the new member in gently to the project.
- The mentor's role is to break the mentee in by offering valuable insights.
- The structured guidance provided by the supervisor helps break apprentices in gradually.
- The leader's approach is to break team members in by promoting a positive work atmosphere.
- The team-building activities aim to break the members in and foster collaboration.