break even

1 of 3

phrase

: to achieve a balance
especially : to operate a business or enterprise without either loss or profit

breakeven

2 of 3

noun

break·​even ˈbrāk-ˈē-vən How to pronounce breakeven (audio)
: the point at which cost and income are equal and there is neither profit nor loss
also : a financial result reflecting neither profit nor loss

break-even

3 of 3

adjective

: having equal cost and income

Examples of break even in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Losses from the streaming segment narrowed by €90 million to €47 million ($51 million), with the company saying the business approached break-even in the fourth quarter. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026 According to the company, most of the franchisees report reaching break-even within months. William Jones, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026 And thanks to the economic changes to F1—a cost cap limits spending in several areas including car research and construction—Williams was profitable in 2022 and 2023, and relatively close to break-even in 2024. Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 7 Mar. 2026 Other economists have recently projected the economy is nearing a break-even point while creating fewer jobs, notably Michael Pearce of Oxford Economics. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for break even

Word History

First Known Use

Phrase

1885, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1958, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of break even was in 1885

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Cite this Entry

“Break even.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20even. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

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