break even
C1Business, Financial, Informal
Definition
Meaning
To reach a point where total costs equal total revenue; to neither make a profit nor a loss.
To finish an activity or period with no net gain or loss; to be in a state of equilibrium between effort/risk and reward.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a verb phrase (phrasal verb). Can function as an adjective in compound form (break-even point). Conceptually tied to accounting and investment but widely used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slight preference in UK for 'reach break-even point' as a noun phrase. Spelling of related compound adjectives follows regional norms (e.g., break-even vs. breakeven).
Connotations
Neutral in both. Slightly more formal in US business contexts.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American business/financial media.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] breaks even.[Subject] breaks even on [project/investment].It takes [time/units] to break even.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Neither here nor there (in terms of outcome)”
- “Come out square”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Central term for financial planning and reporting. 'We need to sell 500 units to break even.'
Academic
Used in economics, management, and engineering cost-analysis papers.
Everyday
Used for personal finance, hobbies, or side projects. 'My lemonade stand finally broke even this summer.'
Technical
Specific calculations in accounting (break-even analysis), manufacturing, and startup valuation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The new café hopes to break even within its first year.
- After the initial losses, the festival managed to break even.
American English
- The startup doesn't expect to break until Q3.
- We'll break even on the remodel once we sell the house.
adverb
British English
- They finished the quarter break-even, which was a relief.
- The venture ran break-even for several months.
American English
- The department operated break-even last fiscal year.
- We're trading break-even at the moment.
adjective
British English
- The break-even price is calculated at £15 per unit.
- We conducted a thorough break-even analysis.
American English
- Their breakeven point is 10,000 subscribers.
- What's the project's break-even timeline?
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The shop needs to sell many cups of coffee to break even.
- Did your holiday trip break even with the money you saved?
- If we lower the price, we will need to sell more units to break even.
- The company finally broke even after three difficult years.
- The break-even analysis revealed a surprisingly high volume threshold for profitability.
- Despite the recession, the division managed to operate at a break-even level.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a set of old-fashioned scales. 'Breaking' the balance so it's perfectly 'even'—not tilting to profit or loss.
Conceptual Metaphor
FINANCIAL OUTCOME IS A JOURNEY (reach a point), BALANCE IS EQUILIBRIUM (even).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation 'ломать даже'.
- Not equivalent to 'остаться при своих' (to stay with one's own) which is more about possession than cost/revenue balance.
- Closest is 'выйти в ноль' or 'окупить затраты'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'break even' as a noun without 'point' (Incorrect: 'We reached a break even.' Correct: 'We reached break even.' or 'We reached the break-even point.')
- Confusing with 'break even' in gambling (to end with same money as started).
- Misspelling as one word ('breakeven' is an accepted adjective variant, but 'break even' is standard for verb).
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is 'break even' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standard in formal business and financial contexts but also common in informal speech about personal finance.
Yes, metaphorically. E.g., 'In terms of time spent versus enjoyment, the weekend break even.'
'Break-even' (with a hyphen) as a modifier (break-even point) or the state 'break-even' (e.g., 'We reached break-even').
'Break even' is specific to a single venture or project's costs vs. revenue. 'Make ends meet' is about personal/family budgeting over time to cover all living expenses.