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Why "brake away" hits the wrong pedal: a guide to this common mix-up

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 30/09/2024, 23:40

English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

Brake away or break away. What's correct?

Spelling and usage error

Why do people make this mistake?

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.

What is correct?

The correct phrase is "break away", meaning to escape or separate suddenly from something.

Examples of correct usage

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.

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