Phrasal verb
grow away from
Definition
phrasal verb. to slowly stop being close to a person or an interest as you get older or change.
phrasal verb. to gradually lose intimacy, shared interests, or a sense of connection with someone or something over time; often used to describe the natural divergence of friends or family members.
Examples
“I grew away from my childhood friends after university.”
“As she developed new hobbies in her thirties, she realized she had grown away from her old social circle.”
“The siblings eventually grew away from each other as their political views and lifestyle choices became increasingly incompatible over the decades.”
Examples
simple
“I grew away from my childhood friends after university.”
contextual
“As she developed new hobbies in her thirties, she realized she had grown away from her old social circle.”
complex
“The siblings eventually grew away from each other as their political views and lifestyle choices became increasingly incompatible over the decades.”
Usage
usually describes a slow, natural process rather than a sudden argument or break-up.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'grow apart', which is very similar but often implies a mutual distance, whereas 'grow away from' focuses on the subject moving away from a specific point or person.
Pitfall
He grew away his parents.
He grew away from his parents.
the preposition 'from' is essential to indicate the person or thing being left behind.
Phrasal verb
Particles
away from
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
grow + away + from + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/grow-away-from