Meaning & use
breaking the rules
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Meanings
phraseidiom
The act of not following a rule or set of rules that you are expected to obey.
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase. It can be the subject or object of a sentence: 'Breaking the rules has consequences.'
Patterns
- breaking the rules of something
- be breaking the rules
- get in trouble for breaking the rules
Breaking the rules of the game can get you disqualified.
She was punished for breaking the rules about using phones in class.
He doesn't mind breaking the rules if he thinks they are unfair.
phraseidiomfigurative
Behaving in a way that is not usual or expected, often in a creative or rebellious manner.
Grammar: Often used in a positive sense about art, fashion, or design, meaning to do something new and different.
Patterns
- breaking the rules of fashion
- breaking the rules of grammar
- breaking all the rules
The designer is famous for breaking the rules of traditional fashion.
Her new novel is breaking the rules of storytelling.
Sometimes you have to break the rules to make progress.
Common combinations
- breaking the rules
- Breaking the rules is not always a bad thing.
- accused of breaking the rules
- The company was accused of breaking the rules on safety.
- without breaking the rules
- You can succeed without breaking the rules.
- breaking the rules of the game
- He was sent off for breaking the rules of the game.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rule-breaking
- A noun or adjective meaning the same, but more formal and often used in compounds like 'rule-breaking behavior'.
- violating the rules
- More formal and often suggests a serious or official breach.
Opposites
Word family
- break the rules phrase
- The base form of the phrase.
- rule-breaker noun
- A person who breaks rules.
- rule-breaking noun
- The act of breaking rules.
Commonly confused: breaking the rules or breaking the law?
breaking the rules vs breaking the law
Breaking the law means doing something illegal, which is more serious than breaking rules.
Practice
Complete the sentence: She was criticized for _______ the rules of the competition.
Choose one answer.
After the preposition 'for', we need the -ing form, so 'breaking' is correct. 'Break' would be the base form, which doesn't fit after a preposition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “breaking the rules”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.