break·away
ˈbrā-kə-ˌwā 
1
a
: one that breaks away
b
: a departure from or rejection of something (such as a group or tradition)
2
a
: a play (as in hockey) in which an offensive player breaks free of the defenders and rushes toward the goal
b
: a sudden acceleration by one or more bicyclists pulling away from the pack in a race
3
: an object made to shatter or collapse under pressure or impact
1
: favoring independence from an affiliation : seceding
a breakaway faction formed a new party
2
: made to break, shatter, or bend easily
breakaway road signs for highway safety
3
a
: of, relating to, or resulting from a breakaway
a breakaway goal
b
: allowing or having an ability to execute a breakaway
breakaway speed
broke away; broken away; breaking away; breaks away
1
: to detach oneself especially from a group : get away
2
: to depart from former or accustomed ways
3
: to pull away with a burst of speed
Examples of breakaway in a Sentence
Adjective
A breakaway faction formed a new party.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Lenora Brown, NPR, 14 June 2026
Qatar had a chance to score in the opening minutes when Edmilson Junior wrestled the ball away from a Swiss defender, but his shot was blocked on a breakaway.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
Yevgeny Kuklychev
ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
In 2008, Russia and Georgia went to war over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
Teresa M. Walker, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
And no team is going to break away from training camp to fly across the country to visit the White House.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakaway
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Noun
The players were small and fast, with the quick footwork and breakaway speed to match.
—Ryan Lenora Brown, NPR, 14 June 2026
Qatar had a chance to score in the opening minutes when Edmilson Junior wrestled the ball away from a Swiss defender, but his shot was blocked on a breakaway.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 June 2026
Adjective
Moscow has moved many of its vessels toward its Novorossiysk base, and satellite imagery indicates Russia is establishing another Black Sea base in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia.
—Yevgeny Kuklychev
ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
In 2008, Russia and Georgia went to war over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
Verb
LeRoy, who hasn’t supported the Protect College Sports Act, sees issues under the Sherman Antitrust Act and can’t see how Congress can legislate economic regulations that prevent more competitive conferences from breaking away.
—Teresa M. Walker, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
And no team is going to break away from training camp to fly across the country to visit the White House.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakaway
Cite this Entry
“Breakaway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/breakaway. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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