break away
Idioms-
Leave hurriedly, escape, get loose. For example, The boy tried to break away, but his mother held onto his coat , or On the last lap the horse broke away from the pack . [First half of 1500s]
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Sever connections with a group. For example, It was hard for me to break away from that organization, but I knew it was necessary .
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Stop doing something, as in She broke away from work long enough to go out for lunch .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When the ice becomes thin enough, large portions can suddenly detach and break away at once.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
So Beijing is accelerating efforts to develop its own advanced semiconductors and break away from reliance on US hardware.
From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026
As it descends into warmer air, chunks can break away and fall, but the phenomenon is rare, according to Heathrow Airport’s website.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Similar to Scotland, the top four break away after 22 March and will play each other twice to decide the title.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
So it was a case where compassion had to give way to discipline and I had to break away from this man to run up to catch up with the men in front.”
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
