ENGLISH
REFERENCE

break away

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to leave a group or a person, often because you disagree with them or want to be independent.

phr. v.. to detach oneself from a group, organization, or physical grasp; often implies a conscious effort to gain independence or escape control.


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.

Particles
away
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
break + away (+ from + object)
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.

© 2026 English Reference