break-even

American  

[breyk-ee-vuhn] / ˈbreɪkˈi vən /

Or breakeven

adjective

1. having income exactly equal to expenditure, thus showing neither profit nor loss.

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noun

1. break-even point.

2. Energy. the stage at which a fission or fusion reaction becomes self-sustaining.

break even British  

verb

1. (intr, adverb) to attain a level of activity, as in commerce, or a point of operation, as in gambling, at which there is neither profit nor loss

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noun

1. accounting

   1. the level of commercial activity at which the total cost and total revenue of a business enterprise are equal

   2. ( as modifier )

      breakeven prices

break even Idioms  

1. Neither gain nor lose in some venture, recoup the amount one invested. For example, If the dealer sells five cars a week, he'll break even. This expression probably came from one or another card game (some authorities say it was faro), where it meant to bet that a card would win and lose an equal number of times. It soon was transferred to balancing business gains and losses. Novelist Sinclair Lewis so used it in Our Mr. Wrenn (1914). The usage gave rise to the noun break-even point, for the amount of sales or production needed for a firm to recoup its investment. [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of break-even

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Example Sentences

That is because the break-even production cost for oil from the sands is relatively low, around $30 to $40 per barrel, according to Enverus senior energy analyst Michael Berger.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

On Thursday, a gauge of expectations for inflation over the next year, known as the one-year break-even inflation rate, jumped to 4.62%, according to Bloomberg data.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

Consequently, Iran’s production costs are low, at $10 to $30 a barrel, compared with U.S. shale break-even prices of $60 to $70 per barrel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

Margins were negative in 2025 and are expected to be slightly below break-even this year, London said.

From Barron's • Mar. 10, 2026

“Perhaps there’s a break-even point for all propellants.”

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam