Meaning & use
make or break time
Last updated
UK/ˌmeɪk ɔː ˈbreɪk taɪm/
US/ˌmeɪk ɔːr ˈbreɪk taɪm/
Meaning
phraseuncountableinformal
A crucial period when the success or failure of something will be decided.
Grammar: Used as a singular noun phrase. Often appears with 'it is' or 'this is'.
Patterns
- it is make or break time
- this is make or break time for someone/something
It's make or break time for the project; we'll know next week if it's approved.
The team is facing make or break time in the championship.
For many small businesses, the holiday season is make or break time.
Common combinations
- it's make or break time
- It's make or break time for the negotiations.
- face make or break time
- The candidate faces make or break time in the primaries.
- make or break moment
- This is the make or break moment for the company.
Synonyms and how they differ
- critical moment
- Neutral; means a very important point in time, but does not imply success or failure as strongly.
- crunch time
- Informal; a period of intense pressure when a decision must be made, often used in sports and work.
Word family
- make or break adjective
- Used before a noun to describe something that will decide success or failure, e.g., 'a make-or-break decision'.
Practice
With only two games left, it's _____ for the team's playoff hopes.
Choose one answer.
The fixed idiom is 'make or break time'. The other options are not standard English expressions.
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