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.
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
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
The new Hydromax car will also be driven by the now-retired Green - who said at a launch event in May that he would be "amazed" if it didn't break the record.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
A sudden power surge is super-charging college softball and at least two other hitters, both at UCLA, could realistically break the record alongside her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
Howard wanted to break the record, but he had a tough choice to make.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
