break formation
idiom
: to stop being or moving together in an organized group
The planes broke formation and took off in different directions.
Examples of break formation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At one point in the clip, the rodents start to slow down and break formation.
—
Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 9 July 2024
Once Allied bombers were attacked, P-51 pilots had permission to break formation and shoot down German fighters at will.
—David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2021
The group did not run toward the gunshots or break formation.
—Nicole Chavez, Ryan Young and Angela Barajas, CNN, 25 Oct. 2020
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Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 9 July 2024
Once Allied bombers were attacked, P-51 pilots had permission to break formation and shoot down German fighters at will.
—David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2021
The group did not run toward the gunshots or break formation.
—Nicole Chavez, Ryan Young and Angela Barajas, CNN, 25 Oct. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Break formation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20formation. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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