adjective

broken

Translation

broken, shattered, out of order, fractured

Examples

My phone screen is broken.

The washing machine is broken.

He has a broken heart.

She spoke in broken English.

Grammar Patterns

((sth.)) is broken (sth.) is not working My phone is broken.

a broken ((sth.)) a damaged (sth.) I have a broken chair.

broken ((language)) imperfect (language) He speaks broken German.

Similar Words

Synonyms: damaged, shattered, faulty; Antonyms: fixed, whole, working

Etymology

From Old English 'brocen', the past participle of the verb 'brecan' (to break).

Memory Tips

Imagine the sound something makes when it breaks: 'bro-ken!'. The sound itself can help you remember the word for something that is no longer in one piece or functioning.