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
Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
Somalia offered to renew a deal granting the US access to its ports and airports, days after the breakaway region of Somaliland reiterated a similar proposal.
—Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 23 Feb. 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
Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Other avalanches are made up of slabs, which happen when a large layer of snow breaks away.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for breakaway
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Noun
Seminole players thought a ball was out of bounds, but no call was made and a Palm Harbor player took off uncovered and had a two-on-one breakaway at Seminole goalie Nate Farrow, which resulted in the 3-1 final margin.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
Somalia offered to renew a deal granting the US access to its ports and airports, days after the breakaway region of Somaliland reiterated a similar proposal.
—Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 23 Feb. 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
The club’s record £125million signing suffered a nasty leg break away to Spurs in December.
—Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Other avalanches are made up of slabs, which happen when a large layer of snow breaks away.
—ABC News, 18 Feb. 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 27 Feb. 2026.
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