1 B2 idiomatic neutral
to end a relationship or association with a person or group
"He broke with his former business partners last year."
inseparable
break with
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
to end relations with someone or reject an established idea or habit
In plain English
to stop being connected with someone or stop following an old way
What does "break with" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to reject a custom, belief, or established way of doing something
"The new leader wants to break with decades of secrecy."
inseparable
Usage tip
Fairly common in journalism and formal writing, especially with traditions, policy, and allies.
Words that pair with "break with"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
tradition the past policy family church allies
How to conjugate "break with"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
break with
I/you/we/they
3rd person
breaks with
he/she/it
Past simple
broke with
yesterday
Past participle
broken with
have + pp
-ing form
breaking with
continuous
Hear "break with" in the wild
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Other ways to say "break with"
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