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Synonyms

breakneck

American  
[breyk-nek] / ˈbreɪkˌnɛk /

adjective

  1. reckless or dangerous, especially because of excessive speed; hazardous.

    He raced through the streets at breakneck speed.
breakneck British  
/ ˈbreɪkˌnɛk /

adjective

  1. (prenominal) (of speed, pace, etc) excessive and dangerous

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of breakneck

First recorded in 1555–65; break + neck

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The contrast between the slow grind lower in March and the subsequent breakneck rally highlights the U.S. equity market’s pronounced right-tail asymmetry and its longer-term progression toward a more bubble-like regime,” they said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

It’s less juxtaposition for juxtaposition’s sake and more an accurate reflection of the breakneck duality of living in a place like L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Despite the widely publicized race for the exits among holders of so-called semiliquid funds, private credit is still expanding, albeit not at last year’s breakneck pace.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

When we visited the set on a recent freezing afternoon in Paju city, just north of Seoul, filming was moving at breakneck speed.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

It will be a story at the mercy of this new breakneck century.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.