break one's neck

verb

To make extraordinary efforts to achieve an end; to exert oneself in pursuit of a goal.

Similar
break one's backbust one's asswork one's ass off
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Meanings

verbbreak one's neck (third-person singular simple present breaks one's neck, present participle breaking one's neck, simple past broke one's neck, past participle broken one's neck)

present singular third person breaks one's neck · participle present breaking one's neck · past broke one's neck · participle past broken one's neck

  1. idiomaticTo make extraordinary efforts to achieve an end; to exert oneself in pursuit of a goal.

    Synonyms: break one's back, bust one's ass, work one's ass off

  2. To suffer a fracture of one or more of the cervical vertebrae, especially one that injures the spinal cord.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo make extraordinary efforts to achieve an end; to exert oneself in pursuit of a goal.

Similar
break one's backbust one's asswork one's ass off
Cite this entry
APA

break one's neck. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20one's%20neck

MLA

“break one's neck.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20one's%20neck. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “break one's neck,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20one's%20neck.

Source: break one's neck on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.