deal-breaker

noun

deal-break·​er ˈdēl-ˌbrā-kər How to pronounce deal-breaker (audio)
variants or less commonly deal breaker or dealbreaker
plural deal-breakers also deal breakers or dealbreakers
1
: someone or something that prevents a deal or arrangement from being reached or fulfilled
That's where the other key player, Tomas Kaberle, comes in. He was a deal-breaker a few weeks ago in a potential trade between the Flyers and Toronto, when Quinn would not substitute him for the injured Danny Markov.Tim Panaccio
Pay attention to any signs of a DIY fix or update. This isn't necessarily a deal-breaker, but it's better to know now—when you can ask the seller about it—than after the deal is done.Matt Ellis
2
: a reason for rejecting someone or something
The display is disappointing but not necessarily a deal-breaker unless your job consists of editing photos and videos.Jason Cipriani
Overall, the biggest dealbreaker was the $290 price tag.Bianca Alba
Any number of women I interviewed cited clinginess in a boyfriend as a major deal breaker.Liza Mundy

Examples of deal-breaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Lower demand As major carriers pull back from China, some are adding capacity to other parts of Asia, showing the Russia airspace problem isn’t a deal-breaker unto itself. Monica Pitrelli, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024 As seen in public charging, challenges of maintaining reliable operations, as reported by JD Power’s U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging study, while frustrating for passenger vehicle drivers, become a deal-breaker if replicated in a business-critical environment. Charlie Jardine, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 Criticizing or badmouthing previous employers is also a red flag with 62% of executives viewing badmouthing as a deal-breaker. Eva Chan, Harvard Business Review, 9 Oct. 2024 There’s also no cord storage, which is annoying but not a deal-breaker. Lizzy Briskin, People.com, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deal-breaker 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deal-breaker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deal-breaker was in 1965

Dictionary Entries Near deal-breaker

Cite this Entry

“Deal-breaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deal-breaker. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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