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

This is a breakaway gap on the heaviest volume of the year, and the Q2 report Sean described above is the reason. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Jack Hughes scored on a breakaway off a slick pass from Jesper Bratt early in overtime, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. — CBS News, 14 Oct. 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

Ameer Abdullah broke away from Philadelphia’s special teams and got the ball across midfield and into Eagles territory with one second left. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Well Organized The Solix S2000 breaks away from the oversized toolbox aesthetic that dominates the portable power station market. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 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