to leave or to escape from someone who is holding you

He grabbed her, but she managed to break away. 他抓住她，可她设法挣脱了。

figurative One or two of the tourists broke away from the tour group. 有一两个游客退出了旅游团。

to stop being part of a group because you begin to disagree with the people in the group

Some members of the party broke away to form a rival party. 该党派的一些成员脱离出去，组成了对立政党。