as in crucial
resulting in either definite success or definite failure
a make-or-break decision The next year will be a make-or-break time for the company.
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Recent Examples of make-or-break
At a time when organizations are dedicating vast resources and staff hours to exploring the applications of artificial intelligence in the workplace, data integrity has become a make-or-break factor for business success.
—
Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
This particular part of this year's Tour de France could be a make-or-break stage for the cyclists at the top.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
What Happens When Scale Meets Scrutiny As compounders scale across B2B (hospitals) and B2C (telehealth), regulatory compliance becomes make-or-break.
—Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
For Palencia, this season probably represented a make-or-break year in Chicago.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for make-or-break
Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
This particular part of this year's Tour de France could be a make-or-break stage for the cyclists at the top.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
What Happens When Scale Meets Scrutiny As compounders scale across B2B (hospitals) and B2C (telehealth), regulatory compliance becomes make-or-break.
—Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
For Palencia, this season probably represented a make-or-break year in Chicago.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for make-or-break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-or-break
Adjective
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Attorneys make a crucial difference for a child or a teen.—
Nicol León,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
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Therefore, long-term planning can play a crucial role in unlocking the financial flexibility that helps to allow retirees to sleep well at night, free from the fear of depleting their nest egg.—
Wes Moss,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Austin city leaders are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reinstate $50 million in funding for flood protection upgrades to critical city utility infrastructure — money that was pulled earlier this year.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
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The blocking feature is a critical one, says Stephen Balkam, founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, a nonprofit organization aiming to make the online world safer for kids and their families.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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This is where external coaches can play a pivotal role.—
Michel Koopman,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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Longtime viewers would be hard-pressed to name a character more pivotal than Maggie and a star more watchable than Rogers.—
Ryan Coleman Published,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Make-or-break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-or-break. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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