Break Even (Verb)
Meaning 1
Attain a level at which there is neither gain nor loss, as in business, gambling, or a competitive sport.
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- The company struggled initially but managed to break even after a year of operations.
- At the break-even point, the revenue generated was just enough to cover the total costs.
- She placed careful bets, hoping to break even by the end of the night.
- Her small business took several years to break even but then started making a steady profit.
- Their goal was to break even within the first quarter, but they actually exceeded expectations.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Make neither profit nor loss.
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- The small business just managed to break even in its first year due to high operational costs and relatively low revenue.
- If they sell at least 500 units, the company should be able to break even and start expanding its market share.
- After months of financial struggles, the restaurant was finally able to break even by increasing its menu prices slightly.
- It took three years of aggressive marketing for the startup to break even, but now it's thriving.
- The concert organizers were relieved to break even on the event, considering the high expenses for performers and venue rental.