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Glite Dictionary
to break the Internet

to break the Internet

1 5.4
Cause a huge rise in online attention and internet traffic
  • idiom
  • /breɪk ði ˈɪntərˌnɛt/
  • Literature
translation icon : romper Internet
  • Her latest Instagram post managed to break the Internet with millions of comments within hours.

I mean, that is breaking the Internet, so to speak.

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Examples

  • I, I can't, it still feels a little bit surreal breaking the Internet on the regular.

  • We have Adam Kornblum with Sarah V, which the spot sort of broke the Internet, so I can't wait to hear about that.

  • Or the speech that broke the Internet!!!

  • That is that that would that would that would break the Internet, as they say.

  • I mean, that is breaking the Internet, so to speak.

    Gas Monkey Garage

  • If I say this and break the Internet, I'm not going to America.

  • You know how Kim Kardashian figured she could break the Internet with like, a nude pic or whatever?

  • I'm sure it will break the Internet as always because this conversation was the deepest we went with Master Shahan Yi.

    Mulligan Brothers Interviews

  • Now this basically broke the Internet because this was essentially deemed the biggest burn by Greta of Andrew Tate.

  • Drum roll, it's Kim Kardashian break the Internet for Paper magazine, where she's got the champagne glass on her butt.

Synonyms

to go viral
vsto break the Internet
  • Texting
61 3.8

To spread very quickly online and reach many people

causes a massive surge that can disrupt normal internet traffic
to blow up
vsto break the Internet
  • Texting
26 3.4

To become very popular quickly, often online

creates a larger spike that overwhelms sites and slows normal traffic
to catch fire
vsto break the Internet
  • Texting
5 3.7

To become very popular quickly, especially online

produces an enormous online surge with enough impact to disrupt service

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to diminish
201 3.7

To become less in size, importance, or value

How Viral

to break the Internet
  • Literature
1 5.4
to go viral
  • Texting
61 3.8
to trend
  • Texting
53 4.2

Surface Forms

break the Internet infinitive
breaking the Internet present participle
breaks the Internet third person singular
broke the Internet past
broken the Internet past participle

Morphology

break + the + Internet

The verb 'break' has a basic sense of damaging or disrupting, and combined with the known noun 'Internet' this yields a metaphorical extension (to overwhelm or disrupt online activity) that is partially guessable. However, the specific sense 'cause a huge surge of attention / go viral' is a culturally specific, hyperbolic use that a B1 learner might misinterpret as literal damage or general disruption without prior exposure. Therefore the expression is not fully compositional but offers some cues from its parts.

Etymology

Break the Internet paints a clear image: so many people try to visit or share something that websites slow down or crash, as if the Internet itself is 'broken'. So, to break the Internet means 'to cause a huge wave of online attention'.