break-even

noun

The level of revenues sufficient to cover costs.

“The Altair 8800 computer was a break-even sale for MITS.”

Meanings

nounbreak-even (countable and uncountable, plural break-evens)

plural break-evens · alternative breakeven

  1. countableuncountablebusinessThe level of revenues sufficient to cover costs.

    We'll never reach break-even if our variable costs are higher than our selling price.

    Synonyms: break-even point

adjectivebreak-even (not comparable)

alternative breakeven

  1. not comparablethat is characterized by the level of revenues just sufficient to cover costs

    The Altair 8800 computer was a break-even sale for MITS.

    1 more example

    The British Transport Commission (BTC) was created to own not just the railways, but also London Underground, docks, inland waterways, and some road haulage activities. Its remit was to operate on a break-even basis, with sustained losses unacceptable.

    2023 March 8, David Clough, “The long road that led to Beeching”, in RAIL, number 978, page 38

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe level of revenues sufficient to cover costs.

Translations

Polish próg rentowności
  • próg rentownościnoun
Spanish break even
  • break evennoun
Cite this entry
APA

break-even. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break-even

MLA

“break-even.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break-even. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “break-even,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break-even.

Source: break-even on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.