English Reference
adjective

unbroken

adj.
US /ənˈbɹoʊkən/ UK /ʌnbɹˈəʊkən/ un·bro·ken

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    happening for a long time without any interruptions or stops.

    continuous and uninterrupted in time or sequence.

    Simple

    The athlete holds the record for the longest unbroken string of victories.

    In context

    The forest stretched for miles in an unbroken expanse of green, showing no signs of human development or logging.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    not damaged, smashed, or divided into smaller parts.

    maintaining structural integrity; not smashed, fractured, or divided.

    Simple

    The seal on the box was still unbroken when it arrived.

    In context

    Archaeologists were thrilled to find an unbroken clay pot among the ruins of the ancient villa.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical

    used to describe a horse that has not been trained to be ridden.

    referring to a horse that has not been subjected to the process of breaking or taming for human use.

    Simple

    The rancher spent weeks trying to train the unbroken stallion.

    In context

    Handling an unbroken horse requires significant expertise and patience to ensure the safety of both the animal and the trainer.


Etymology 1

From Middle English unbroken, from Old English unġebrocen (“unbroken”), equivalent to un- + broken. Cognate with Dutch ongebroken (“unbroken”), German Low German unbroken (“unbroken”), German ungebrochen (“unbroken”).

Etymology 2

From unbreak.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old English unġebrocen
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated