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

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

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

“If you don’t, and you just think it’s just enough to have a mandate that the butts have to be in seats, you’re going to miss out on an entire segment of the population who have said, ‘It’s a deal breaker for me.’”

From Barron's

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

Greg or no Greg, the East Hollywood spot’s parking situation seemed like a deal breaker.

From Los Angeles Times