break-even
/ˈbreɪk iːvn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈbreɪk iːvn/ (ame, ipa)
break-even — adjective
1. bringing in exactly enough money to cover costs, with nothing left over as gain.
bringing in exactly enough money to cover costs, with nothing left over as gain.
Obi set a break-even ticket price for the school play.
break-even + ticket price
After rent rose, David needed break-even sales of fifty tickets a night.
break-even + sales
The report shows a break-even figure for each weekend market.
Without sponsors, the team needed a break-even entry fee of thirty dollars.
- cost-neutral
close in meaning, especially for plans or policy changes that neither add nor save money
- self-supporting
suggests an activity can pay for itself over time, not just on one calculation
- non-loss-making
formal and more accounting-like than break-even
- profitable
brings in more money than it costs
- loss-making
still costs more than it earns
文法句型
break-even + price
break-even + sales
break-even + figure/fee
用法筆記
Usually comes before nouns such as price, sales, figure, or fee. It describes a level that only covers costs, unlike profitable, which leaves money over after expenses.
常見錯誤
break-even — noun
1. the stage when the money earned has caught up with the money spent, so a busines
the stage when the money earned has caught up with the money spent, so a business or project has stopped losing money but has not begun making extra money.
After six months of slow orders, the bakery finally reached break-even in April.
reach break-even
Winter storms delayed the cinema's break-even until late January.
delay break-even
Investors asked when the solar farm would hit break-even.
By the third festival weekend, Nora's food stall was past break-even.
- break-even point
full form that makes the stage or threshold explicit
- cost-recovery point
formal term stressing that spending has been earned back
- payback point
focuses more on recovering the original outlay than on ongoing trading balance
文法句型
reach break-even
hit break-even
past break-even
用法筆記
Often follows reach, hit, or get to, and speakers may leave out point when the business context is clear. Distinguish from adjective sense 1, which modifies a noun such as price or figure.
常見錯誤
break-even — idiom
1. for a business activity to finish with just enough income to pay for what it cos
for a business activity to finish with just enough income to pay for what it cost.
Mizuki's cafe broke even after the lunch crowd started returning.
broke even after stronger sales
The charity concert only broke even once local shops paid for the stage lights.
only broke even once costs were covered
If the tour breaks even, the band can afford another summer trip.
Rodrigo hoped the repair sale would break even before sunset.
- cover costs
states the financial result more directly
- come out level
slightly broader and less tied to business language
- recoup expenses
focuses on getting money back rather than on the final balance
- make a profit
earn more than the activity cost
- run at a loss
finish with costs still higher than income
文法句型
break even after + costs
barely break even
hope to break even
用法筆記
Most often used about a business, event, or round of selling after all costs are counted. Distinguish from phrase sense 1, which can also describe a more general level result outside formal business activity.
常見錯誤
break-even — phrase
1. to end up level after gains and losses cancel each other out.
to end up level after gains and losses cancel each other out.
After paying for repairs, Hamza still broke even when he sold the old scooter.
broke even after repairs
At the end of the card game, Adina broke even and kept her starting chips.
break even in a game
The class sale only broke even because rain ruined the second lunch break.
By Sunday night, the garage sale had broken even on table fees.
- come out even
very close everyday alternative
- end up level
stresses the final balanced result
- square up
more informal and often about settling amounts owed
- come out ahead
finish with a gain instead of a balance
- fall behind
end with less than you started with
文法句型
break even in + game
break even on + cost
break even by + time
用法筆記
Common with money, points, or totals after a period of gain and loss. It is broader than the idiom sense, which focuses on a business activity ending without profit.