breakaway

1 of 3

noun

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

breakaway

2 of 3

adjective

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

break away

3 of 3

verb

broke away; broken away; breaking away; breaks away

intransitive verb

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

Noun

Thiero delivered a breakaway windmill dunk in the second quarter Friday that brought cheers from the fans, a moment in which the second-year Lakers forward displayed his athleticism. — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

In sweltering conditions hitting 36 degrees (97 F) during an ongoing heatwave in the country, Frenchman Baptiste Veistroffer formed a two-man breakaway with Czech Jakub Otruba. — ABC News, 10 July 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

If Sherwood-area schools break away from the Pulaski County Special School District, the new school district would be the state's 16th-largest by enrollment, according to a feasibility study commissioned by Sherwood public school advocates. — Arkansas Online, 14 July 2026

After a short break away from the Official Vinyl Albums chart, Joanne returned and spent one more period inside the top 40, and it has not been seen since – until its tenth anniversary reissue dropped. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for breakaway

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• cabaret