catch a break

Finally find relief

Catch a break means to experience some good luck or relief, especially after a period of difficulty or misfortune.

The phrase nearly always appears in negative constructions: I can't catch a break or Give me a break—meaning stop being so hard on me.

When someone finally catches a break, circumstances have shifted in their favor, often unexpectedly.

The expression suggests that good fortune is something elusive that must be seized when it appears.

Related

reprieve · chance · advantage · serendipity · breakthrough · providence · fortune · overdue · relief · blessing · struggle · rough patch · hard luck · hardship · setback · obstacle · difficulty · breather

Opposites
fortune and luck

catch a breakdraw the short straw

Be selected for unwanted task

fall on hard times

effort and struggle

catch a breakgo from bad to worse

Decline beyond initial failure

when it rains it pours · spin one's wheels · tread water

Family

catch, break, catches, catching, caught, catcher, catchy, breaks, breaking

Familiarity
Top 50,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G