break the news

Meaning

This idiom means to be the first to tell someone about important, significant, or life-changing information. It is most frequently used when the news is sad, shocking, or difficult to hear, though it can occasionally be used for major good news. It carries a sense of care and preparation in how the information is delivered.

Examples

• I had to break the news to my parents that I failed my driving test again.

  I had to break the news to my parents that I failed my driving test again.

• The doctor gently broke the news to the family that the surgery was unsuccessful.

  The doctor gently broke the news to the family that the surgery was unsuccessful.

• Who is going to break the news to the team that the project has been canceled?

  Who is going to break the news to the team that the project has been canceled?

• She was crying when she broke the news of her grandmother's passing.

  She was crying when she broke the news of her grandmother's passing.

• We need to break the news of our engagement to everyone at dinner tonight.

  We need to break the news of our engagement to everyone at dinner tonight.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to break the news for my brother.

  ✓ I need to break the news to my brother.

  We always break the news 'to' someone, not 'for' someone.

• ✗ He broke the new that he was leaving.

  ✓ He broke the news that he was leaving.

  The word 'news' is always plural in this idiom; you cannot say 'break the new'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I don't know how to ___ to him that his favorite vase is broken.

  💡 Tell someone bad or shocking information.

  Show answer

  break the news

• She gently ___ to her staff that the company was downsizing.

  💡 Past tense of the idiom.

  Show answer

  broke the news