housebreaking

noun

house·​break·​ing ˈhau̇s-ˌbrā-kiŋ How to pronounce housebreaking (audio)
: an act of breaking open and entering the dwelling house of another with a felonious purpose
housebreaker noun

Examples of housebreaking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Sometimes armed with rifles, the settlers intermittently engage in housebreaking, sheep stealing and vandalism. Steven Erlanger Sergey Ponomarev, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024 Many people need help troubleshooting issues such as housebreaking or leash-walking difficulties. NBC News, 14 Feb. 2022 Zandile Christmas Mafe, 49, who liked to talk politics with friends, was charged on Tuesday with arson, theft, housebreaking and possession of explosives. New York Times, 4 Jan. 2022 The man is expected to appear in court Tuesday to face charges of arson, housebreaking, and theft, a police spokesperson said. Harold Maass, The Week, 3 Jan. 2022 The suspect, who is due to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Tuesday, has been charged with housebreaking, theft and arson, police said in a statement. Ally Barnard, Alex Stambaugh and David McKenzie, CNN, 3 Jan. 2022 What about a puppy, which needs training and housebreaking, vs. an older dog, which may just need refreshers on those things and may be easier to handle? Jennifer Nelson, Southern Living, 8 June 2021 Some dog diaper brands are disposable, which works best for short-term situations such as female menstruation, active mating season or housebreaking. Michael Pollick, chicagotribune.com, 24 Mar. 2021 According to the Liverpool Echo, Sadio Mane and Dejan Lovren were the victims of housebreaking, with Mane's house being accessed by the thieves, while Lovren's patio was smashed. SI.com, 2 Nov. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'housebreaking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of housebreaking was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near housebreaking

Cite this Entry

“Housebreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/housebreaking. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

housebreaking

noun
house·​break·​ing -ˌbrā-kiŋ How to pronounce housebreaking (audio)
: the act of breaking into a person's house with the intention of committing a crime
housebreaker noun

Legal Definition

housebreaking

noun
house·​break·​ing ˈhau̇s-ˌbrā-kiŋ How to pronounce housebreaking (audio)
: the act of breaking into and entering the dwelling house of another for the purpose of committing a felony
housebreaker noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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