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

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

If this is a deal-breaker for you, check some of the others on this list. —Isabella Ubaldi, Verywell Health, 19 Apr. 2024

If this sounds like a deal-breaker to you, remember that crypto transfers come with absolutely no withdrawal fees. —Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024

With travel back to or at times exceeding pre-COVID levels, extra fees don’t seem to be a deal-breaker for customers. —Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Nathan and Lauren, Season 1 At the start of the series, Lauren and Nathan had a real deal-breaker on their hands: Nate wanted children while Lauren didn’t. —Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2024

Multiple environmental groups have urged Evers to veto the legislation, saying the limits on DNR enforcement are a deal-breaker. —Todd Richmond, Quartz, 27 Feb. 2024

The unforeseen costs are not a deal-breaker for St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, known as Aug Prep, which is heavily funded by the Ramirez Family Foundation. —Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2024

That’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, but the Cubs aren’t in a position of desperation. —Daniel R. Epstein, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024

After three dates, as the relationship became more serious, producers would start delivering red flags to the pods, but this time, the envelopes would disclose deal-breakers that the producers had discovered during the casting process. —TIME, 12 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1