housebreaking

H4O1U1S1E1B3R1E1A1K5I1N1G2

noun

The act of breaking into another person's house with unlawful intent.

“Near-synonym: breaking and entering”

Similar
breaking and enteringbreak-in
UncommonScrabble 23
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Meanings

nounhousebreaking (countable and uncountable, plural housebreakings)

plural housebreakings

  1. countableuncountableThe act of breaking into another person's house with unlawful intent.

    Near-synonym: breaking and entering

    1 more example

    The accused was charged with housebreaking and theft.

    Synonyms: breaking and entering

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentanimal trainingpresent participle and gerund of housebreak

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe act of breaking into another person's house with unlawful intent.

Similar
breaking and entering

More synonyms by meaning

nountrespassing for an unlawful purpose; illegal entrance into premises with criminal intent

Similar
break-inbreaking and entering
Broader
burglary
Also see
break-inbreaking and enteringhousebreak

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From house + breaking.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

housebreaking. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/housebreaking

MLA

“housebreaking.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/housebreaking. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “housebreaking,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/housebreaking.

Source: housebreaking on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.