Phrase guide

deal breaker

noun · 1 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An issue which causes a relationship or proposal, especially in business, to fail.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: nonnegotiable (noun), prerequisite (noun), sine qua non

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nonnegotiable, prerequisite, sine qua non

Antonyms: dealmaker

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 對方不會同意的條件 /对方不会同意的条件 (duìfāng bù huì tóngyì de tiáojiàn) — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • Dutch: dealbreaker — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • Finnish: kynnyskysymys — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • German: Dealbreaker — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • Polish: problem — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • Russian: камень преткновения (kamenʹ pretknovenija) — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • Russian: причина расставания (pričina rasstavanija) — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • Spanish: motivo de ruptura — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail
  • Spanish: factor innegociable / decisivo — an issue which causes a relationship (especially in business) to fail