1 B2 idiomatic neutral
to leave or reject an established custom, belief, or way of behaving
"The company is trying to break from its old image."
inseparable
break from
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
to separate yourself from a person, habit, tradition, or pattern
In plain English
to stop following or staying with something
What does "break from" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
to separate yourself from a person or group
"He broke from the crowd and walked home alone."
inseparable
Usage tip
Often used in formal or semi-formal contexts such as politics, history, and behavior.
Words that pair with "break from"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
tradition routine the past custom party policy precedent
How to conjugate "break from"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
break from
I/you/we/they
3rd person
breaks from
he/she/it
Past simple
broke from
yesterday
Past participle
broken from
have + pp
-ing form
breaking from
continuous
Hear "break from" in the wild
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Other ways to say "break from"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
depart from leave move away from reject separate from
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