the breaks

Idioms  

1. Pieces of luck, turns of events, as in No matter how well he pitches, the team always makes fielding errors—that's the breaks, I guess, or There's not much you can do if the breaks are against you. In the singular and modified forms, this term becomes. In the plural form, only the context determines its favorable or unfavorable meaning. [Slang; early 1900s] Also see tough break.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

the breaks

Most of the breaks were repaired within 24 hours, and the neurons continued functioning normally.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026

Fellow US broadcaster Telemundo, which shows matches in Spanish and is aimed at Latino Americans, is one of the few broadcasters which has decided not to show ads during the breaks.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

The main source of criticism for their addition is that they are viewed as additional financial revenue, with broadcasters utilising the breaks to show more adverts.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

Asked whether the breaks could be implemented at Euro 2028, Bullingham said: "I don't think so - I wouldn't have thought that at all."

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

“You had a very, very fine surgeon. All the breaks are below the knees. God—” She stopped.

From "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz