Meanings
nounclean break (plural clean breaks)
plural clean breaks
- idiomaticThe complete termination of a relationship, or an exit from a situation.
I'm ready for a clean break with my ex-girlfriend.
2 more examples
He decided to make a clean break with his employer.
How bitter it is to be slowly separated from great friends! Far better make a clean break and remain in solitude—the natural climate for man.
1952, Nikos Kazantzakis, chapter 1, in Carl Wildman, transl., Zorba the Greek, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, translation of Βίος και πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά [Víos kai politeía tou Aléxi Zormpá], →ISBN, pages 4–5
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 一刀兩斷 /一刀两断, 脫離 /脱离
- 一刀兩斷 /一刀两断 (yīdāoliǎngduàn)initiate a complete termination of a relationship
- 脫離 /脱离 (tuōlí)initiate a complete termination of a relationship
- 斷交 /断交 (duànjiāo)initiate a complete termination of a relationship
Finnish panna välit poikki
- panna välit poikkiinitiate a complete termination of a relationship
Russian по́лный разры́в
- по́лный разры́в (pólnyj razrýv)initiate a complete termination of a relationship
Spanish cortar por lo sano
- cortar por lo sanoinitiate a complete termination of a relationship
Cite this entry
APA
clean break. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clean%20break
MLA
“clean break.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clean%20break. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “clean break,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/clean%20break.
Source: clean break on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.