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
This will break the record for the highest number of days on which the temperature has exceeded 30C somewhere in the UK.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 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
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.
