give (someone) a break

idiom

: to stop treating (someone) in a strict or harsh way
Don't criticize him so much. He's doing the best he can. Why don't you give him a break?

Examples of give (someone) a break in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Being able to give a break to Davis and James (17 points on seven-for-13 shooting plus 11 assists) was a victory within a victory in Reaves’ mind. Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2023 Florida lawmakers Wednesday approved spending more than $1.25 billion to help homeowners and communities ravaged by hurricanes and to give a break to motorists who frequently use toll roads. Jim Turner, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2022 As a result, Paramore placed a hard limit on the tour in support of After Laughter and decided to give a break a try. Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2022 But raising the ceiling on the federal income-tax deduction for state and local taxes to give a break to higher-income people in high-tax states to bring along the votes of centrist Democratic congressmen from those high-tax states--I'm not for that. John Brummett, Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2021 Wolf, a lead researcher on the study, says that those rituals give a break from the stresses of the day to both child and caregiver. Hannah Reyes Morales, National Geographic, 18 Nov. 2020 Lightweight collapsible pots prevent whales from pirating pricey black cod from longline hooks and give a break to small boats. Anchorage Daily News, 22 Oct. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'give (someone) a break.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Give (someone) a break.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/give%20%28someone%29%20a%20break. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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