Break the back of something

Pro Tip 1/3

Figurative Meaning

Used metaphorically to describe the point where significant progress makes a task easier to finish.

Once we've finalized the design, we'll have broken the back of the project.

Pro Tip 2/3

Perseverance Implication

Implies that effort and persistence were necessary to reach this stage of the task.

It took all night, but we finally broke the back of the encryption code.

Pro Tip 3/3

Not Literal

Not to be confused with physically breaking something; it's about overcoming a major challenge.

It felt great to break the back of my thesis after months of research.