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Learn Business English phrases with our Phrase of the Week!
Each week, we introduce a new phrase to help you sound more natural and confident in your professional communication.
Would you take a job with no vacation days?
Imagine this—you’re in a job interview, and everything sounds perfect. The salary is great, the team seems friendly, and the projects are exciting. But then the manager says, “By the way, we don’t offer any vacation days.”
Wait… what? No time off at all?
For most people, that’s a dealbreaker!
What does “That’s a Dealbreaker” mean?
A dealbreaker is something so important that it makes you reject an offer. If one key condition isn’t met, you walk away!
This Week's Phrase:
THAT'S A DEALBREAKER.
=something so important that if it doesn’t happen, you say no to a deal or decision
That's a Dealbreaker: Real-Life Example
That's a Dealbreaker: More Real-Life Examples
Sales Pitch
The software representative explains the product’s features to a potential customer.
"Our software includes everything you need, but it does require a six-month commitment."
"Hmm, that’s a dealbreaker for us. With our business scaling, we need more flexibility."
Job Offer
The candidate and HR Manager discuss vacation time.
"I’m excited about the role, but I was hoping for at least three weeks"
"We only offer two weeks for new employees, but that could increase over time."
"Honestly, that’s a dealbreaker for me. Work-life balance is really important to me."
New Software
The IT manager asks about integration with the current CRM.
"This new tool looks great, but does it integrate with our current CRM?"
"Not at the moment, but it’s something we’re working on."
"That’s a dealbreaker. We need seamless integration to keep things running smoothly."
Supplier Agreement
The purchasing manager discusses delivery timeframes with the supplier.
"Your pricing is great, but we need a guarantee that delivery will be within five days."
"Unfortunately, we can’t promise that."
"That’s a dealbreaker for us. Delays would disrupt our entire supply chain."
Let's Chat!
What’s a dealbreaker for you at work? Is it bad coffee at the office? No remote work?
I think a big dealbreaker for me would be no remote work. If I had to go to the office every day, I would feel really tired and have less time for myself. I would probably start looking for another job. Bad coffee isn’t a big problem because I could just bring my own or buy some on the way. (Dmitry, B2-level learner)
To be honest, a big dealbreaker for me is no remote work. In my opinion, working from home is very important because it helps me save time, I don't have to commute. But if I had to go to the office every day... Wow! I would feel very very tired. (Sylvia, B1-level learner)