1 B2 neutral
to come off in layers from a surface
"The old paint was peeling away from the window frame."
inseparable
peel away
B2 neutral inseparable intransitive
to come away in layers or to separate and move away from a group
In plain English
to come off or move away little by little
What does "peel away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to separate from a group and move away
"One cyclist peeled away from the pack near the final turn."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to strip away like the skin of fruit
Actually means
to come off or move away little by little
Usage tip
Common both for physical surfaces and for vehicles, crowds, or people separating from a group.
Words that pair with "peel away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
paint skin wallpaper crowd car group
How to conjugate "peel away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
peel away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
peels away
he/she/it
Past simple
peeled away
yesterday
Past participle
peeled away
have + pp
-ing form
peeling away
continuous
Hear "peel away" in the wild
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Other ways to say "peel away"
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