deal breaker

American  

[deel brey-ker] / ˈdil ˌbreɪ kər /

Or deal-breaker or dealbreaker

noun

1. an aspect, condition, or item that would not be accepted by a party to a business transaction or political deal.

   Prior to committing to a partnership, the corporation needs to have a clear vision of deal breakers versus where they are willing to be flexible.

2. something that would cause a person to abandon a plan, mutual arrangement, agreement, or relationship.

   Sorry, but entering into marriage with a partner who has hefty debt or terrible credit is definitely a deal breaker.

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Etymology

Origin of deal breaker

First recorded in 1975–80; deal ¹ ( def. ) + breaker ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Both phones have the same 6.1-inch screen, but no MagSafe on the 16e was a deal breaker for me.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

If return-to-office mandates are a deal breaker, Choudhury said you don’t have to be limited to domestic employers in your job hunt.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 9, 2026

Greater voting control is a deal breaker for Tesla’s robot future, Musk made clear on the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

The actual deal breaker, though, may be his sordid personal life.

From Salon • Nov. 20, 2024

But the issue was a deal breaker for Riddle.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand