Brokenly/ˈbrəʊkənli/ Definition 1 of 1Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Disruption Indicates speaker's emotional state that disrupts their flow of speech. He recounted the accident brokenly, pausing often to compose himself. Pro Tip 2/3Narrative Tension Use 'brokenly' when portraying characters in stressful or intense situations. She described her ordeal brokenly, each word laced with fear. Pro Tip 3/3Not Literal 'Brokenly' is often figurative, not describing something physically broken. The witness spoke brokenly, not due to language, but trauma.