break even

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to reach the point where revenue equals costs — no profit, no loss

Why this phrase?

From accounting: the point where the line of costs and the line of revenue cross.

Example

“We'll break even next quarter if churn stays flat.”

Dictionary details

Component words

break

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

break cover Neutral · CEFR B2

to stop concealing one's true position or intentions and make them known

break new ground Neutral · CEFR B2

to do something that has never been done before; to pioneer

break ranks Neutral · CEFR B2

to openly depart from the shared position of one's own group

break the back of Neutral · CEFR B2

to get past the main obstacle so that the remaining work becomes easier

make or break Neutral · CEFR B2

to be the single decisive factor between success and failure

move fast and break things Informal · CEFR C1

a philosophy of shipping quickly and accepting breakage in order to learn faster

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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