First recorded in 1945–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Cambridge University graduate took aim at tech industry culture, saying companies "run on a startup mindset: move fast, break things, fix them later."
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
Two days off between games left James looking spry, with lob dunks and dunks on the fast break contributing to his 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026
The Gators like to get out in the fast break, but Iowa countered with a snail-paced offense style of any team in the nation this season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
During Palisades’ 71-56 semifinal victory over San Pedro on Saturday night, he stole the ball and was leading the fast break for what looked like could have been a breakaway layup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 22, 2026
I swatted the ball from his hands and made a fast break for the basket.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
“I think you’re not going to be perfect; you’re going to have turnovers. Just trying to eliminate the live-ball turnovers where they get easy fast-break layups or threes or dunks.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026
Texas isn’t going to deliver many three-point blows, but the Longhorns can take the ball away and chip away with fast-break points in the paint.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2026
The Suns outscored the Lakers 16-0 in fast-break points.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2025
After running the floor for a fast-break layup late in the second quarter, Doncic was laboring and limping on the way back.
From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024
He scored a fast-break layup with his left hand, pulled us within four.
From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña
Only men were gathered here, with women remaining at home for iftar, the fast-breaking meal.
From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026
The final sunset of Ramadan last week found me below a mosque in the Bronx, in a basement cafeteria, elbow to elbow with hungry Muslims awaiting that last fast-breaking meal of the year.
From Slate ● Apr. 5, 2025
Plainclothes agents arrested Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University graduate student from Turkey, on a sidewalk Tuesday as she walked to see friends for the traditional fast-breaking during the Islamic month of Ramadan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 2025
Speaking to a group of young people at a Ramadan fast-breaking meal in Ankara on Tuesday, President Erdogan urged patience and common sense amid what he described as "very sensitive days."
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2025
By aid of the fast-breaking dawn, they could see the line of high, dark rocks, upon which the ship had met her fate.
From Dyke Darrel the Railroad Detective Or, The Crime of the Midnight Express by A. Frank [pseud.] Pinkerton
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
