break the Internet

Early use of the phrase (circa the mid-1990s) refers to literally breaking the Internet connection of a single device. It also refers to breaking the World Wide Web or the Internet itself, with the implication that it would be impossible or implausible to do so in most ordinary contexts.

A figurative usage of the phrase emerged in the early 2000s. Rather than the Internet or an Internet connection literally breaking, the figurative meaning describes a web server becoming overwhelmed by a surge in organic, non-malicious web traffic. It can also describe a deliberate, malicious attempt to overwhelm a web server, as in a denial-of-service attack or other cyberattack.

In the early 2010s, "break the internet" developed a secondary figurative usage in Internet slang. Similar to "going viral", the slang usage refers to behavior that causes a dramatic increase in web traffic or social media commentary, especially when the behavior was ostentatious or controversial. The phrase was famously used on the November 2014 issue of Paper magazine, titled "Break the Internet" and featuring American celebrity Kim Kardashian on the cover. The magazine was not the first to use the phrase in this sense, but it did popularize it.

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break the Internet (third-person singular simple present breaks the Internet, present participle breaking the Internet, simple past broke the Internet, past participle broken the Internet)

1. (chiefly US, idiomatic, colloquial, literally) To cause a connection to the Internet, or the Internet itself, to malfunction.
   • 1996 Sacha Cohen, John Makulowich, Warren Shaver, Training & Development (cited in 2016 Merriam-Webster.com, "Words We're Watching: Break the Internet"):

     “Click on everything including graphics, buttons, and links, to see where they lead. Don't be afraid to get lost, and don't worry about making mistakes. 'You can't break the Internet,' says Warren Shaver, project manager for ASTD Online Services.”

2. (computing, idiomatic, figuratively, humorous) To overwhelm a web server through organic user-driven demand, such that the server goes offline or is in danger of doing so.
   • 2001 Time Out (cited in 2016 Merriam-Webster.com, "Words We're Watching: Break the Internet")

     “Well furnished Dahlings, don't all rush on at once as you might break the internet, but The Conran Shop has a new website!”

3. (computing, idiomatic, figuratively) To deliberately overwhelm a web server through a cyberattack such as a DDOS, such that the server goes offline or is in danger of doing so.
4. (Internet slang, idiomatic, figuratively, humorous) To do or say something ostentatious or controversial, such that the behavior causes a dramatic increase in traffic to a website or commentary on social media; to go viral.
   • 2014, Charlotte Alter, "What Does It Mean to 'Break the Internet'?" Time

     “Obviously, Kim isn’t the first person to claim to ’break the Internet.’ In September Taylor Swift “broke the Internet” when she wore a T-shirt saying ’no it’s Becky,’ a super-meta reference to a Tumblr post where a user insisted that a picture of young Taylor was, in fact, someone named Becky. Beyoncé’s surprise album ’broke the Internet’ when she secretly released it last year. Alex from Target ’broke the Internet’ just by looking cute at work. Even Obama’s sensationally tan suit was almost able (but not quite) to ’break the Internet,’ according to Shape magazine.”

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