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
Schumer set up a make-or-break vote on whether the bill would inch closer to becoming law or languish in this Congress.
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Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
The 2024-25 offseason, in the slowly-dawning era of revenue-sharing and an inflated NIL marketplace, is shaping up to be massively important for USC heading into a possible make-or-break season for Lincoln Riley’s program rebuild.
—Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 8 Dec. 2024
For many businesses and especially for start-ups, the user experience and interface of their digital products can be the make-or-break between attracting and retaining customers or pushing them to competitors.
—Rachel Wells, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
The setup leaves Black Friday as a make-or-break event that will help draw distinct lines between the season’s winners and losers.
—Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make-or-break 
Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
The 2024-25 offseason, in the slowly-dawning era of revenue-sharing and an inflated NIL marketplace, is shaping up to be massively important for USC heading into a possible make-or-break season for Lincoln Riley’s program rebuild.
—Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 8 Dec. 2024
For many businesses and especially for start-ups, the user experience and interface of their digital products can be the make-or-break between attracting and retaining customers or pushing them to competitors.
—Rachel Wells, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
The setup leaves Black Friday as a make-or-break event that will help draw distinct lines between the season’s winners and losers.
—Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for make-or-break
Recent Examples of Synonyms for make-or-break
Adjective
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Solving a key pain point for or with a colleague early on can be a powerful way to build these crucial relationships.Andrew Block, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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In the case of the disaster that is now unfolding, the unusually dry conditions played a crucial role in setting the stage for extreme wildfires; a similarly powerful windstorm in Pasadena in December 2011 was preceded by a damp November, helping to prevent any significant fires.Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Additionally, 25 percent of younger Americans pointed to housing costs as a critical area for government focus, while only 10 percent of those aged 60 and above shared this view.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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To fulfill this mission and turn its vision into reality, the company has developed comprehensive training and development offerings that address competencies critical to organizational success.William Mullane, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Policy plays a pivotal role in this transformation.Dan Kelly, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
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Another newcomer, who ended up in the pivotal role of the mother of the deceased girl, unknowingly introduced herself while production was prepping to film at a police station.Gregory Ellwood, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near make-or-break
Cite this Entry
“Make-or-break.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make-or-break. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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