English Profile

broken · adjective

/ˈbroʊ.kən/Full view

Word family

Nouns: break, outbreak

Adjectives: broken

Verbs: break

broken (DAMAGED)

A2 damaged and separated into pieces

Dictionary examples:

He attacked the man with a broken bottle.

Careful - there's broken glass on the floor.

Learner example:

The first thing we saw was a broken window. (First Certificate in English; B2; German)

a broken arm/leg, etc. ()

A2 an arm/leg, etc. with a damaged bone

Dictionary example:

Her little brother has a broken arm.

Learner example:

I stayed there for 2 weeks with a broken leg [and] sore ribs. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

broken (NOT WORKING)

A2 no longer able to work

Dictionary example:

My watch is broken.

Learner example:

My bicycle is broken. (Preliminary English Test; B1; Czech)

a broken heart ()

B2 when you are very sad because of the end of a relationship

Dictionary example:

They said she died of a broken heart.

Learner example:

He will split up with you and [you] will get a broken heart! (Preliminary English Test; B1; Portuguese)

broken English/Spanish, etc.

C1 English/Spanish, etc. that is spoken slowly and has a lot of mistakes in it

Dictionary example:

I managed to make myself understood in broken French.

Learner example:

A non-English speaker may be [able] to talk in broken English to a native English speaker, but has only [a vague] idea as to what he's uttering. (Certificate in Advanced English; C1; Chinese)

a broken home

C2 a family in which the parents do not now live together

Dictionary example:

Many of these children come from broken homes.

Learner example:

The development of the modern society has brought with it a growing number of broken homes, divorces and economic problems which have directly affected the parent-child relationship. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Catalan)