break the record
Idioms-
Surpass a previous achievement, as in He was determined to break the record for the high jump . This usage is applied primarily to sports of various kinds. [1880s]
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Move very fast, as in The lecture was so dull that we broke the record getting to the door : [Second half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The market debut of artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic, a chief rival to OpenAI, could break the record set by SpaceX, US media have reported.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Ultra-runner Sophie Woods ran 2,000km across eight countries in only 29 days to break the record for completing the Via Alpina - one of the world's toughest endurance challenges.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026
Speaking to Jack Saunders on BBC Radio 1's Official Chart show on Friday afternoon, Fender said he was "speechless" when asked how it felt to break the record.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
That's the question as Washington prepares to break the record for the world's largest fireworks display on the United States' 250th birthday on Saturday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
“Not until you break the record for living in a fort. We could bring you food. And pillows. And books.”
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
