What does dealbreaker mean?
A dealbreaker is a factor or condition so unacceptable to someone that it ends a deal, negotiation, plan, or relationship outright — there is no room for compromise once it comes into play. In business, a dealbreaker might be an unfavorable clause, a failed inspection, or a mismatch in expectations; in personal life, the word most often refers to traits or beliefs that make someone unsuitable as a partner, such as dishonesty, incompatible views on having children, or fundamental value differences. The term emerged in American English in the latter half of the twentieth century, combining 'deal' with 'break' to capture the idea of something that shatters an arrangement. Informal to neutral in register, it is ubiquitous in modern conversation, from boardrooms to dating profiles, where people routinely list their 'dealbreakers'. Its enduring popularity reflects a cultural shift toward being explicit about one's non-negotiable limits.
nounA factor or condition whose presence would cause someone to abandon a deal, relationship, plan, or course of action entirely; an issue so serious that no compromise is possible.
- An issue or condition that causes someone to reject a deal, agreement, negotiation, business transaction, or plan outright.
- (Informal) A personal trait, habit, or belief that disqualifies someone as a romantic partner or friend.
"For her, dishonesty was an absolute dealbreaker in any relationship."
"The buyer walked away when the inspection revealed structural damage — that was a clear dealbreaker."
"Refusing to ever want children turned out to be a dealbreaker for both of them."
Regular plural; frequently used in the plural when people list their personal criteria, especially in dating contexts.
"Long commutes and smoking are two of her biggest dealbreakers."
The word 'dealbreaker' barely existed before the 1970s, yet today it's one of the first things people ask about on a date: 'What are your dealbreakers?'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dealbreaker
Dealbreaker is a compound of 'deal' (from Old English 'dǣlan', meaning to divide or distribute) and 'break' (from Old English 'brecan', meaning to shatter), joined by the agentive suffix '-er' — literally, 'that which breaks the deal'. The compound arose in American English, with earliest recorded uses appearing around the 1970s, particularly in commercial and negotiating contexts, before spreading into everyday speech about relationships and personal preferences. Its rapid adoption owes much to the culture of explicit negotiation and, later, popular discussions of dating criteria.
How dealbreaker is actually used
Register is informal to neutral; it is common in everyday conversation, dating contexts, journalism about negotiations, and casual business speech, but is generally avoided in highly formal legal drafting. The word carries a strongly negative connotation and often appears intensified ('absolute dealbreaker', 'total dealbreaker'). It is typically written as one unhyphenated word.
Easily confused with dealbreaker
A deal-maker is something that makes an arrangement attractive and closes it, while a dealbreaker is the opposite — a condition that destroys it.