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break the bank

idiom

: to be very expensive or too expensive : to cost a lot of money
usually used in negative statements
Buy a car that's dependable but won't break the bank.

Examples of break the bank in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those who are ready to date but don’t want to break the bank are getting creative. Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2025 McCleary is clear that achieving the look doesn't need to break the bank (one blanket on the website, the Angelica Throw Blanket, retails for $995). Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025 Now is not the time to spend and break the bank sending packages across the country, Dana. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Nov. 2025 Fortunately, like most coffee making equipment, great grinders don’t need to break the bank, with excellent options existing all along the price spectrum. Jack Byram, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for break the bank

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Cite this Entry

“Break the bank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20the%20bank. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

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