break the ice

1. To remove the tension at a first meeting, at the opening of a party, etc.: “That joke really broke the ice at the conference; we all relaxed afterward.”

Example Sentences

Older kids might prefer to break the ice by reaching out with a text or via a social media app, Sweeney said.

From Los Angeles Times

Sacks said he hoped the event would “break the ice” on discussions around Trump and could create a “preference cascade, where all of a sudden it becomes acceptable to acknowledge the truth.”

From Los Angeles Times

Connecting with people who share your interest in birds can allow you to break the ice.

From New York Times

An awkward silence was filled with the sounds of forks and knives clinking on plates, so Monty tried to break the ice.

From Literature

Join a Jenga game to break the ice.

From Los Angeles Times