What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Breakaway vs Runaway - What's the difference?

breakaway | runaway |

As nouns the difference between breakaway and runaway

is that breakaway is (cycling) a group of riders which has gone ahead of the peloton while runaway is a person or animal that runs away or has run away; a person, animal, or organization that escapes limitations.

As an adjective breakaway

is having broken away from a larger unit.

breakaway

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Having broken away from a larger unit.
  • The breakaway republic is slowly establishing order and civil society.
  • Capable of breaking off without damaging the larger structure.
  • a breakaway wall

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (cycling) A group of riders which has gone ahead of the peloton.
  • * 2012 , July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
  • The summit of the climb came 38km from the end of stage 14, which began in Limoux and ended in Foix in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and the incident occurred as the peloton emerged into the light and passed under the banner at the top, a quarter of an hour behind a five-man breakaway .
  • (ice hockey) A situation in the game where one or more players of a team attack towards the goal of the other team without having any defenders in front of them.
  • See also

    * escape

    runaway

    English

    Alternative forms

    * run-away

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person or animal that runs away or has run away; a person, animal, or organization that escapes limitations.
  • Runaway children are vulnerable to criminal exploitation.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Thou runaway , thou coward, art thou fled?
  • *
  • A train that is out of control.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • (usually attributive) An object or process that is out of control or out of equilibrium.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • The act of running away, especially of a horse or teams.
  • There was a runaway yesterday.
  • An overwhelming victory.
  • The home side won in a runaway .

    Usage notes

    This word is frequently used attributively, as in "runaway X" to mean "an X which has run away" or "an X which is out of control".