unbroken
/ʌnˈbrəʊkən/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈbrəʊkən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈbrō-kən/ (ame, mw)
unbroken — adjective
- unbrokenpositive
- more unbrokencomparative
- most unbrokensuperlative
1. still in one piece; not cracked, split, torn, or otherwise physically damaged.
still in one piece; not cracked, split, torn, or otherwise physically damaged.
The package arrived with its seal still unbroken, so we knew nothing had been taken out.
collocation: seal unbroken
Jiwoo checked every egg in the carton and was relieved to find them all unbroken.
After the earthquake, the only unbroken window in the house was the one facing south.
Dewi found her grandfather's diary in an old trunk, its brass lock still unbroken after forty years.
Élise dropped the vase but it somehow stayed unbroken on the thick carpet.
用法筆記
Commonly describes seals, packaging, locks, containers, and fragile objects after transport or impact.
2. having strong inner strength and not defeated in spirit by difficult or painful
having strong inner strength and not defeated in spirit by difficult or painful experiences.
Despite three years in a refugee camp, Sade's spirit remained unbroken and full of hope.
collocation: spirit remains unbroken
Noa's will was unbroken even after the doctors told her she might never walk again.
After three years of war, the people's determination to rebuild their city stayed unbroken.
Diya's confidence was unbroken by the harsh criticism she received from her manager.
Roya listened to the survivor's story and admired how her courage had remained unbroken through it all.
- undefeated
stronger; implies active resistance and victory over hardship
- resilient
more formal; emphasizes ability to recover quickly
- indomitable
very formal and literary; describes a spirit that cannot be tamed or defeated
用法筆記
Subject is typically an abstract noun: spirit, will, determination, morale, courage, or confidence. Rarely used for physical objects in this sense.
常見錯誤
3. happening or existing without any pauses, stops, or interruptions.
happening or existing without any pauses, stops, or interruptions.
The band played an unbroken set of songs that lasted for nearly two hours.
collocation: unbroken set / stretch
Wren could hear the unbroken hum of the highway from her bedroom all night long.
The university has an unbroken tradition of academic excellence going back a hundred years.
A long unbroken line of dancers in bright costumes wound through the streets of the old town.
An unbroken silence filled the room after the teacher asked who had broken the window.
- continuous
the most direct synonym; slightly more common in technical writing
- uninterrupted
emphasises the absence of disruption rather than mere duration
- seamless
suggests smooth transitions; more about quality than duration
- broken
common opposite for interrupted sequences
- interrupted
more precise for a sequence with pauses
用法筆記
Frequently paired with time-related nouns: 'unbroken silence,' 'unbroken tradition,' 'unbroken line,' 'unbroken stretch.' Not used for physical objects in this sense.
4. stretching out with the same appearance over a distance, without being broken up
stretching out with the same appearance over a distance, without being broken up by buildings, roads, trees, or other features.
From the hilltop, Andrés could see an unbroken expanse of green fields stretching to the horizon.
collocation: unbroken expanse
The desert stretched in an unbroken line of sand dunes as far as the eye could see.
The hikers walked across an unbroken plain with no trees or houses anywhere in sight.
An unbroken sheet of ice covered the entire lake from one side to the other.
The coastline offered an unbroken stretch of white sand for nearly ten kilometres.
- continuous
less specific to landscape; can describe anything unbroken in space
- endless
emphasises the visual impression of no boundary, not literal infinity
- uninterrupted
focuses on the absence of obstacles or changes
用法筆記
Typically describes natural landscapes — plains, deserts, ice sheets, coastlines, or expanses of fields. The word 'expanse' or 'stretch' often follows.
5. still standing as the best performance; never surpassed by another competitor in
still standing as the best performance; never surpassed by another competitor in a given event.
The swimmer's record of seven gold medals at a single Olympics remains unbroken to this day.
collocation: record remains unbroken
The 100-metre sprint world record has stayed unbroken for over twelve years now.
Roya's score in the national mathematics competition stood unbroken until last year.
Anthony watched his favourite athlete attempt to break a long-unbroken record in the high jump.
The team's unbroken streak of home victories lasted for three full seasons.
- unbeaten
more common in sports; can also describe a team or player that hasn't lost
- unsurpassed
more formal; means no one has done better
- standing
as in 'standing record'; emphasises that it still holds
用法筆記
Often used with 'record,' 'streak,' or 'score.' When describing a streak of wins, overlaps with sense 3 (continuous) — the distinguishing feature here is the competitive achievement aspect.
常見錯誤
6. still wild and unfamiliar with human handling; not yet accustomed to being ridde
still wild and unfamiliar with human handling; not yet accustomed to being ridden or controlled by a person.
The young rancher spent several months trying to tame the unbroken horse from the mountains.
Tuan watched as the cowboys worked patiently with an unbroken stallion in the dusty pen.
collocation: work with an unbroken horse
Unbroken horses need a calm and patient trainer before they can safely carry a rider.
The horse was still unbroken at age five because no one on the farm had time to train it.
Jiwoo's grandfather once told her that an unbroken mare was the most challenging animal he ever worked with.
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used for horses. Not used for other animals (pets, dogs, etc.) in modern English. The related verb is 'break' (to break a horse = to train it to be ridden).
常見錯誤
7. still in effect and faithfully kept; not ignored, broken, or acted against, espe
still in effect and faithfully kept; not ignored, broken, or acted against, especially about a promise or contract.
After thirty years of marriage, his promise to stand by her in every difficulty remained unbroken.
collocation: promise remained unbroken
The peace treaty between the two nations stayed unbroken for more than a generation.
Nikhil considered his father's promise to pay for college an unbroken vow that had to be honoured.
The terms of the contract remained unbroken throughout the five-year partnership between the companies.
The mayor kept her word unbroken, returning exactly what the city had borrowed, just as she had promised.
用法筆記
This sense is formal and typically found in legal, diplomatic, or serious personal contexts. 'Unbroken promise' is less common in everyday speech than 'kept promise.'
8. not turned over or prepared by a plow for planting crops.
not turned over or prepared by a plow for planting crops.
The farmer left a strip of land unbroken along the river to protect the soil from washing away.
collocation: land left unbroken
Fields that stay unbroken for several years often become home to wildflowers and small animals.
Adisa decided to keep half the field unbroken this season and let the grass grow back naturally.
The old photograph showed acres of unbroken prairie where shopping malls now stand.
Rohan pushed his hand into the unbroken soil of the field and felt how cool and damp it was underneath.
- unplowed
direct synonym; more common in American English
- unploughed
same meaning; more common in British English
- fallow
distinct meaning: left unplanted intentionally, possibly after having been plowed
用法筆記
Belongs to agricultural vocabulary. 'Unbroken land' is sometimes interchangeable with 'unplowed land' in farming contexts. Different from sense 4 (unchanging landscape) because it focuses on the state of cultivation rather than visual appearance.