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Synonyms

break the bank

Idioms  

  1. Ruin one financially, exhaust one's resources, as in I guess the price of a movie won't break the bank. This term originated in gambling, where it means that a player has won more than the banker (the house) can pay. It also may be used ironically, as above. [c. 1600]

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 military wanted a drone that could be built quickly and in large quantities, fly far, and be cheap enough not to break the bank.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

And yet, the sector is still willing to break the bank for the Super Bowl—even though, time and again, we’ve already seen how this particular game plays out.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

If you’re searching for a VPN that won’t break the bank but still delivers the goods, Surfshark deserves your attention.

From Salon • Dec. 10, 2025

It doesn’t break the bank either compared with other higher-end sound offerings.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

I am the lucky man that is to break the bank!

From Gamblers and Gambling by Beecher, Henry Ward

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.