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.
But people close to the court expect Thomas to stay through the spring of 2028, when he would break the record for the longest-serving justice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
However, the Scot kept her composure in her home city to replicate her initial success, break the record again, and reclaim the gold that was already hers - in mind if not around her neck.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Since July isn’t over yet, 2026 will almost certainly break the record.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 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
I’ll show all of them when I break the record.
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.
