How to Use make-or-break in a Sentence

make-or-break

adjective
  • This is something of a make-or-break season for him with the Rangers.
    — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 20 Apr. 2023
  • But this year, the WWDC could be a make-or-break moment for the tech giant.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 June 2024
  • This past season was a make-or-break year for the linebacker.
    — Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 14 Mar. 2023
  • For Flanagan, pulling it off was a make-or-break moment for the film.
    — Ashley Boucher, EW.com, 13 June 2025
  • With the Cowboys being one of the more notable teams in the league, things are make-or-break for him.
    — Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
  • This means your business will be in make-or-break mode from day one.
    — Harry Kabadaian, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
  • This might be a make-or-break season for the N.C. State alum, as the guard spots are spoken for in the team’s long-term plans.
    — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2024
  • In many ways, October will be a make-or-break month for Beauchamp.
    — Brian Sampson, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
  • The actor knew such a scene would be a make-or-break moment for his career.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 20 May 2024
  • The actor knew such a scene would be a make-or-break moment for his career.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 6 Feb. 2025
  • This 11-game stretch is make-or-break, and that one game might have cost them the playoff tiebreaker with the Giants.
    — Jason Williams, The Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2023
  • Lighting can be the make-or-break detail of your balcony.
    — Aksha Mittapalli, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 July 2024
  • The interview comes at a make-or-break moment for the inquiry.
    — Luke Broadwater, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024
  • Spencer Platt | Getty Images It may be make-or-break time for the stock market, based on the price charts.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2025
  • And business — the tax money from malls — can be a make-or-break matter for the people in the city halls in the old downtowns.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2024
  • And the make-or-break event would play out in front of his family, friends and former teammates.
    — Candace Buckner, Washington Post, 30 June 2024
  • Read Next Heat reaches make-or-break week in push to avoid play-in tournament.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
  • Is this a make-or-break draft for JS, especially if the line doesn’t improve?
    — Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Everyone around the Suns knows this is not exactly a make-or-break year.
    — Shane Young, Forbes, 7 May 2023
  • Entering his make-or-break third season, Jones has a chance again.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 25 July 2023
  • But the last thing any leader wants to do is alienate those who hold the power of rescue in this make-or-break moment.
    — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
  • Marketing is one of the make-or-break challenges of starting a business.
    — Becky Center, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
  • When the make-or-break meeting with Julio's mother finally took place later in the episode, things were awkward to say the least.
    — Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 25 July 2023
  • Plus, there are three sprint weekends over the final seven races, where make-or-break points are available.
    — Rob Reed, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
  • More news to know now Pete Hegseth faces a make-or-break Senate hearing on Tuesday.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
  • But Newsmax did not go quietly—because this is a make-or-break moment for the brand.
    — Brian Stelter, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2023
  • Schumer set up a make-or-break vote on whether the bill would inch closer to becoming law or languish in this Congress.
    — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 19 Dec. 2024
  • That could be a make-or-break issue for some Chicago lawmakers.
    — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
  • But Carsley knew this could be a make-or-break moment and produced a triple substitution for the second half.
    — Art De Roché, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • And on a machine that costs tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, even a 10-percent duty could be make-or-break for a small operation.
    — Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 June 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make-or-break.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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