# break it to

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/break-it-to
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To deliver unfortunate or upsetting news to someone.

## Examples

- I have to break it to my boss that I am quitting.
- She was nervous to break it to her parents that she had failed the exam.
- The doctor sat down with the family, struggling to find the right words to break it to them that the treatment had not worked.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.