# break someone's back

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/break-someones-back
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Alternative form of break the back of (overburden).

## Examples

- Working two jobs is starting to break my back.
- The heavy workload is beginning to break his back, so he needs to ask for help.
- The constant pressure of the project threatened to break her back, forcing her to delegate tasks to the rest of the team.

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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.