“Brake away” or “break away”: which is correct?
break away
The short answer
The correct phrase is break away, meaning to escape or separate suddenly from something.
Spelling and usage error
Why people get it wrong
People often confuse words that sound alike but have different meanings, such as brake and break. The error arises because break away is a phrasal verb that means to escape or separate suddenly, whereas brake is a noun or verb related to slowing down or stopping a vehicle. The similar pronunciation leads to the confusion.
Examples with break away
- The cyclist managed to break away from the pack during the race.
- She wanted to break away from tradition and travel the world.
- Once the negotiations fell through, the smaller company decided to break away.
Quick check
The cyclist managed to from the pack during the race.
The correct phrase is break away, meaning to escape or separate suddenly from something.
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