deal breaker
B2Informal to neutral, used in both conversational and professional contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A factor or condition that makes an agreement or arrangement unacceptable or impossible to accept.
Any non-negotiable condition, personal trait, or circumstance that causes someone to reject a proposal, relationship, job, or purchase.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically refers to a single, decisive issue that nullifies an otherwise acceptable deal or arrangement. It implies a binary outcome: if present, the deal is broken.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is equally common and understood in both variants. Spelling: typically hyphenated as 'deal-breaker' in UK formal writing, but often as open compound 'deal breaker' in US usage.
Connotations
Slightly more frequent in US business and dating slang. In the UK, it may be perceived as a slightly newer, imported business term but is fully established.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties, especially in business, real estate, recruitment, and personal relationship discussions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
X is a deal breaker for YY considers X a deal breakerX would be a deal breakerVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The straw that breaks the camel's back”
- “A line in the sand”
- “A hill to die on”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A contract clause or condition that makes the entire proposal unacceptable (e.g., 'The non-compete period of five years is a deal breaker for the candidate.').
Academic
Rare in formal academic writing; used in sociology or business studies discussing negotiation or decision-making factors.
Everyday
Common in discussions about relationships, house purchases, or job offers (e.g., 'His smoking was a deal breaker for her.').
Technical
Used in software/tech sales to denote a missing feature that prevents a purchase.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- We need to list the deal-breaker issues upfront.
- That's a deal-breaker requirement for our team.
American English
- We need to list the deal breaker issues up front.
- That's a deal breaker requirement for our team.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- No pets? That's a deal breaker for me. I love my cat.
- The long commute was a deal breaker, so I didn't take the job.
- While the salary was good, the lack of flexible hours proved to be a major deal breaker.
- The publisher's insistence on full copyright assignment was an absolute deal breaker for the author, leading her to seek another press.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a business deal written on a glass pane. The 'deal breaker' is like a hammer that smashes the pane, breaking the deal.
Conceptual Metaphor
AGREEMENT IS A STRUCTURE / A BROKEN OBJECT (something breaks the deal).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'сделка-ломатель'. Use 'непреодолимое препятствие', 'решающий недостаток', or 'то, из-за чего сделка расстраивается'.
- Do not confuse with 'breaker of deals' which implies a person who breaks deals; 'deal breaker' is a condition, not a person.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean a person who breaks deals (incorrect: 'He is a deal breaker.').
- Confusing with 'deal maker' (opposite meaning).
- Using as a verb ('It deal-breaks the negotiation' – non-standard).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'deal breaker' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'deal breaker' is strictly a noun (or compound adjective). The verb form 'to break a deal' exists, but 'to deal-break' is non-standard.
Most dictionaries list it as two words ('deal breaker') or hyphenated ('deal-breaker'), especially when used as a compound adjective. Both are accepted, with hyphenation being more common in UK formal writing.
A 'red flag' is a warning sign of a potential problem. A 'deal breaker' is the specific, decisive problem that causes final rejection. A red flag might indicate a future deal breaker.
No, by definition it is a negative, disqualifying factor. The positive counterpart is a 'deal maker' or 'clincher'.