deal breaker

or deal-break·er or deal·break·er

[ deel brey-ker ]

noun

1. an aspect, condition, or item that would not be accepted by a party to a business transaction or political deal:

   Prior to committing to a partnership, the corporation needs to have a clear vision of deal breakers versus where they are willing to be flexible.

2. something that would cause a person to abandon a plan, mutual arrangement, agreement, or relationship:

   Sorry, but entering into marriage with a partner who has hefty debt or terrible credit is definitely a deal breaker.

Word History and Origins

Origin of deal breaker¹

First recorded in 1975–80; deal ¹( def ) + breaker ¹( def )

Example Sentences

The actual deal breaker, though, may be his sordid personal life.

From Salon

But in this election, most people who consider themselves to be good white Christians flatly declared that white supremacy was, at a minimum, not a deal breaker for them.

From Salon

This was a deal breaker for Hamas and the Egyptians.

From BBC

But it’s not necessarily a deal breaker — if the offer is compelling enough.

From New York Times

They knew they lived in different parts of the country when they got engaged; why did this fact suddenly become a deal breaker — three months after they got married?

From Los Angeles Times