Phrasal verb
break away
Definition
phrasal verb. to leave a group or a person, often because you disagree with them or want to be independent.
phrasal verb. to detach oneself from a group, organization, or physical grasp; often implies a conscious effort to gain independence or escape control.
Examples
“The small group decided to break away and start their own club.”
“Several members of the political party chose to break away after the leadership dispute.”
“The colony eventually sought to break away from the empire to establish a sovereign government based on its own democratic principles.”
Examples
simple
“The small group decided to break away and start their own club.”
contextual
“Several members of the political party chose to break away after the leadership dispute.”
complex
“The colony eventually sought to break away from the empire to establish a sovereign government based on its own democratic principles.”
Usage
often followed by the preposition 'from' to indicate the group or entity being left.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'leave' (neutral) and 'secede' (highly formal/political); 'break away' emphasizes the act of separation and the effort involved.
Pitfall
He tried to break away his captor.
He tried to break away from his captor.
the preposition 'from' is necessary when mentioning the person or group being left.
Phrasal verb
Particles
away
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
break + away (+ from + object)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/break-away