break away

escape from someone holding or controlling you

B2

What does "break away" mean?

To break away means to leave or escape from a group, a controlling force, or a set of conventions — often with a sense of determination or effort. It can describe something physical, like an animal pulling free from a crowd, or something more abstract, like a political faction splitting from a larger party. What makes it distinctive is the emphasis on separation from something that was previously holding you in place — whether that's a group, a tradition, or a regime. The phrase almost always appears with 'from' to show what is being left behind. You'll encounter it frequently in sports commentary, political journalism, and stories about individuals rejecting the status quo.

Examples

How to use it

break away from + noun

The most common pattern — 'from' introduces what the subject is leaving or separating from.

Three runners broke away from the main group in the final kilometre.

manage / try / want + to break away

Break away frequently follows verbs that express effort, intention, or desire, since the action often involves overcoming resistance.

She had always wanted to break away from the conservative traditions of her industry.

break away + to do something

An infinitive of purpose can follow to explain what the subject does after separating.

A junior faction broke away to form an independent political party.

subject + break away (no object)

Because this verb is intransitive, it never takes an object — the subject acts alone and nothing is placed between 'break' and 'away'.

The prisoner saw his chance and broke away when the guards were distracted.

Common Collocations

break away from the groupbreak away from the packbreak away from traditionbreak away from the partybreak away from controlmanaged to break away

Common Mistakes

Inserting an object between 'break' and 'away'

Because 'break away' is intransitive, no object ever goes between its two parts. The thing being left is introduced by 'from', not placed inside the verb.

✗ She broke the crowd away and ran towards the exit.
✓ She broke away from the crowd and ran towards the exit.
Confusing 'break away' with 'break out'

'Break out' focuses on physical escape from a confined place, like a prison or cage. 'Break away' focuses on separating from a group, movement, or controlling force, and is often used metaphorically.

✗ Several prisoners broke away from jail during the night.
✓ Several prisoners broke out of jail during the night.
Omitting 'from' when specifying what is left

When you name what is being left behind, 'from' is required. Dropping it produces an unnatural sentence.

✗ The faction decided to break away the party.
✓ The faction decided to break away from the party.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works equally well in spoken and written English. The noun 'breakaway' (one word) is very common in news writing, so learners will often see it in headlines like 'a breakaway faction' or 'a breakaway republic'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'break away' be used in the passive?

No — because 'break away' is intransitive and takes no object, it cannot be made passive. There is no object to become the subject of a passive sentence. You can only use it with an active subject, for example: 'The cyclist broke away from the pack.'

What is the difference between 'break away' and 'break free'?

'Break free' tends to sound more emotional and emphatic — it stresses the feeling of liberation from something oppressive or restrictive. 'Break away' is more neutral and is especially natural when talking about groups splitting, competitors pulling ahead, or individuals leaving an organisation. Both are correct in many situations, but 'break away' is the more common choice in sports and political contexts.

What does 'breakaway' mean when I see it in news articles?

The noun and adjective 'breakaway' (written as one word) is the related form used in journalism. You'll see phrases like 'a breakaway group', 'a breakaway faction', or 'a breakaway republic' — all describing an entity that has separated from a larger one. It comes directly from the phrasal verb and carries the same core meaning.

Is 'break away' mainly used in sports, or does it work in other contexts too?

'Break away' is common across several different contexts. In sports — especially cycling and athletics — it describes a competitor pulling ahead of the main group. In politics and organisations, it describes a faction or individual leaving a party or movement. It also works more personally, when someone rejects convention or tradition. All of these uses are equally natural.

Can 'break away' describe a single person, or only groups?

It works for both. A single person can break away from a crowd, a captor, or a convention, and a whole faction can break away from a larger organisation. The key idea is separation from something that was previously containing or defining you — and that applies whether the subject is one individual or many.

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