the breaks

Idioms  

1. Pieces of luck, turns of events, as in No matter how well he pitches, the team always makes fielding errors—that's the breaks, I guess, or There's not much you can do if the breaks are against you. In the singular and modified forms, this term becomes. In the plural form, only the context determines its favorable or unfavorable meaning. [Slang; early 1900s] Also see tough break.

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Example Sentences

Just take a break, have fun, and take the breaks we used to take when we used to watch those TV shows in the ’90s.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

She cheers along with the parents and hands out orange slices during the breaks between quarters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

I’ve been acting for so many years and felt very fortunate with all of the breaks that I’ve gotten.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2025

"I think the run of the ball cost me but I've had plenty in my time. You still have to make the breaks and he did."

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2025

“You had a very, very fine surgeon. All the breaks are below the knees. God—” She stopped.

From "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz