deal-breaker

noun

deal-break·​er ˈdēl-ˌbrā-kər 

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

… climate-related provisions were unlikely to be a deal-breaker, but the bill has taken a back seat to voting rights legislation …

—Matthew Daly

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

How crypto became available to everyday investors Until 2024, everyday investors who wanted to trade digital currencies generally had to seek out crypto exchanges, a potential deal-breaker for unfamiliar investors. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 26 July 2026

Other deal-breakers include high customer concentration and key employee dependency. — Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

For starters, unlike Sonnet, Microsoft's model can’t access the internet, which is a deal-breaker for many prompts. — Ruben Circelli, PC Magazine, 8 June 2026

The last two clauses were among deal-breakers for Montreal, host of a widely popular F1 race and the Montreal Jazz Festival. — Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 6 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for deal-breaker

• blackacre
• caretaker
• clockmaker
• dressmaker
• filmmaker
• homemaker
• icebreaker
• lawmaker
• matchmaker
• pacemaker
• partaker
• peacemaker