breaking ties
Ending deadlocked situations
Breaking ties is resolving deadlocks when competitors or options are evenly matched.
A tiebreaker mechanism—an extra question, a coin flip, a runoff vote—handles breaking ties in contests: The chair is responsible for breaking ties on the committee.
The phrase also applies to severing connections: Breaking ties with her family was painful but necessary.
- severingCutting apart completely
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
- splittingDividing into parts
- dissolvingPassing into solution
- endingFinal portion of something
rupture · separation · burning bridges · deadlock · tiebreaker · casting vote · voting · stalemate · bonds · family bonds · knots · loose ends · parting · divorce · friendship · betrayal · bad blood · loyalty
- breakupsbreakup, dumped, dumping, it's over, Dear John
- leadershipleadership styles, leader, leadership skills, boss, leading
- betrayalbackstab, betray, betrayal, traitor, backstabber
- giving upgive up, giving up, quit, quitting, surrender
- bold movesrisk, dare, gambit, leap, leap of faith
- coercionduress, coercing, compelling, threat, forcing
breaking tiesholding on
Maintaining one's grip
keeping in touch · standing by · sticking together · keeping the faith · mending fences
breaking tiesbuilding bridges
Fostering relationships between parties
connecting · bonding · uniting · networking · reaching out
breaking, ties, break, broken, breaks, breaker, breakers, breakage, unbreakable