Meaning of broken in English

1. Pronunciation

   /ˈbroʊkən/

   US accent

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   UK accent

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1. Classifying Adjective

   broken

   Definitions

   1. subdued or brought low in condition or status

   Examples

   • « brought low »
   • « a broken man »
   • « his broken spirit »

   Synonyms

   • humble
2. 2. tamed or trained to obey

   Examples

   • « a horse broken to the saddle »
   • « this old nag is well broken in »

   Synonyms

   • tame
   • tamed
3. 3. topographically very uneven

   Examples

   • « broken terrain »
   • « rugged ground »

   Synonyms

   • rough
   • unsmooth
4. 4. imperfectly spoken or written

   Examples

   • « broken English »

   Synonyms

   • imperfect
5. 5. thrown into a state of disarray or confusion

   Examples

   • « troops fleeing in broken ranks »
   • « a confused mass of papers on the desk »
   • « the small disordered room »
   • « with everything so upset »

   Synonyms

   • disorganized
   • disorganised
6. 6. weakened and infirm

   Examples

   • « broken health resulting from alcoholism »

   Synonyms

   • impaired
7. 7. destroyed financially

   Examples

   • « the broken fortunes of the family »

   Synonyms

   • destroyed
8. 8. out of working order (`busted' is an informal substitute for `broken')

   Examples

   • « a broken washing machine »
   • « the coke machine is broken »
   • « the coke machine is busted »

   Synonyms

   • damaged
9. 9. discontinuous

   Examples

   • « broken clouds »
   • « broken sunshine »

   Synonyms

   • distributed
10. 10. lacking a part or parts

    Examples

    • « a broken set of encyclopedia »

    Synonyms

    • incomplete
    • uncomplete

11. Qualitative Adjective

    broken

    Definitions

    1. physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split

    Examples

    • « or legally or emotionally destroyed »
    • « a broken mirror »
    • « a broken tooth »
    • « a broken leg »
    • « his neck is broken »
    • « children from broken homes »
    • « a broken marriage »
    • « a broken heart »

    Synonyms

    • breached
    • busted
    • chipped
    • cracked
    • crumbled
    • fragmented
    • crushed
    • ground
    • dissolved
    • fractured
    • shattered
    • smashed
    • splintered
    • split

    Antonyms

    • unbroken
12. 2. not continuous in space, time, or sequence or varying abruptly

    Examples

    • « broken lines of defense »
    • « a broken cable transmission »
    • « broken sleep »
    • « tear off the stub above the broken line »
    • « a broken note »
    • « broken sobs »

    Synonyms

    • broken-field
    • dashed
    • dotted
    • fitful
    • interrupted
    • off-and-on(a)
    • halting

    Antonyms

    • unbroken
13. 3. (especially of promises or contracts) having been violated or disregarded

    Examples

    • « broken (or unkept) promises »
    • « broken contracts »

    Antonyms

    • unbroken
    • kept