Phrase guide

break even

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To neither gain nor lose money.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • After an entire night playing poker, he nearly broke even.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • It's a lot of work just to break even and keep the weeds down.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

attain a level at which there is neither gain nor loss, as in business, gambling, or a competitive sport

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reach, hit, attain

4

verb

Meaning 4

make neither profit nor loss

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: profit, lose

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 不賠不賺 /不赔不赚 (bùpéibùzhuàn) — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Chinese Mandarin: 保本 (bǎoběn) — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Finnish: olla omillaan — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Finnish: päästä omilleen — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Finnish: breikata — to neither gain nor lose money
  • French: rentrer dans ses frais — to neither gain nor lose money
  • German: mit plus/minus null rauskommen — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Polish: wychodzić na zero — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Polish: wyjść na zero — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Spanish: cubrir gastos — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Spanish: no tener pérdidas — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Swedish: gå jämnt ut — to neither gain nor lose money
  • Finnish: pysyä ennallaan — to stay the same
  • Finnish: pysyä paikallaan — to stay the same
  • French: ne pas changer d'un iota — to stay the same
  • German: den Ist-Zustand bewahren — to stay the same
  • Polish: wychodzić na to samo — to stay the same
  • Polish: wyjść na to samo — to stay the same