broken and busted share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. broken means “physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split”. busted means “out of working order (`busted' is an informal substitute for `broken')”. broken is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɹoʊkən/
1.adj.physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
“a broken mirror”
2.adj.not continuous in space, time, or sequence or varying abruptly
“broken lines of defense”
3.adj.subdued or brought low in condition or status
“brought low”
/ˈbʌstɪd/
1.adj.out of working order (`busted' is an informal substitute for `broken')
“a broken washing machine”
| broken | busted | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɹoʊkən/ | /ˈbʌstɪd/ |
| Said | BROH-kuhn | BUH-stid |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Senses | 13 | 1 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | broken |
Full entry for broken · Full entry for busted · More comparisons