record-breaking
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of record-breaking
First recorded in 1880–85
Explanation
A record-breaking achievement is better than any previous attempt by anyone, or at least better than any officially documented one. If you solve the Rubik's Cube faster than the fastest solver, that would be a record-breaking feat! When someone sets a record, they accomplish something that hasn't ever been topped: no one has run faster, or eaten more hot dogs, or lived longer. There are also records for things like the hottest day, fattest bear, and most powerful telescope. Eventually, nearly every record gets broken, and the event that does it is record-breaking. So if you practice every day, maybe you can one day be a record-breaking Rubik's Cube solver — but you'll probably have to do it in less than three seconds!
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 fierce fires ravaging parts of France and Spain are the result of forests and vegetation becoming more flammable because of drought and a series of record-breaking heatwaves that have hit Western Europe since May.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
This could be the final free agency decision James will ever make as the 41-year-old enters a record-breaking 24th season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Whether from the latest smoke drifting south from Canada or record-breaking fires here at home, the lesson is the same: We have neglected active forest management for far too long.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
A MapBiomas report states that 3.1 million hectares of Brazil's Amazon were burned last year, compared with a record-breaking 15.8 million hectares in 2024.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
She had a flawless reputation for work and study; she was now a skilled and record-breaking air navigator; she had squeaky-clean connections.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
