break ranks

phrase

variants or less commonly break rank

: to differ in opinion or action from one's peers

—often used with with

broke ranks with the party's leadership

Examples of break ranks in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Leading up to the election, many traditional conservatives broke ranks and declared support for Hinojosa. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026

Continue reading … CLEAR CONTRAST — Vance calls El-Sayed a 'crazy person' as Dem breaks ranks for GOP rival. — FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026

Factions of the Republican Party long loyal to his brand are beginning to break ranks. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026

The divide burst into the spotlight in early September when Gainesville Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut, the former chairwoman of the Alachua Democratic Party and widow to civil rights leader Charles Chestnut III, broke ranks to endorse Donalds. — Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for break ranks

• sandbanks
• blanks
• cranks
• flanks
• francs
• franks
• hanks
• manx
• planks
• pranks
• shanks
• tanks