Leave a place to live somewhere else; step back physically from something; stop following an idea, habit, or approach.
Life in the city was getting harder every year. The rent kept rising and the streets felt less safe. So the family decided to move away from the neighbourhood they had known for decades, packing their things and heading north for a fresh start.
This meaning is about leaving one place and relocating to another. Imagine growing up in a small town where everyone knows each other. One day, you get a job offer in a big city and decide to move away from your hometown to start a new chapter. This is relocating — leaving a place behind. You might say “we moved away from London last year” or “she moved away from her parents’ house after university.” Or picture a family that moves away from a noisy area to find somewhere quieter and more peaceful for their children. The word carries a sense of leaving something familiar behind. ✏️ Moving away from suggests distance — it’s not just changing houses on the same street, it means going somewhere noticeably different.
Vivid example: After twenty years in the same flat, they finally made the decision. They moved away from the crowded city centre to a small coastal town, hoping for cleaner air and a slower pace of life. Within weeks, they already felt like different people.
This meaning is about physically creating distance between yourself and something. Imagine standing too close to a campfire and feeling the heat on your face. Someone tells you to move away from the flames before you get burned. This is stepping back to create a safe distance. You might hear “move away from the edge” at a cliff, or a parent saying “move away from the road” to a child. Or picture a crowd being told to move away from a broken window after an accident, with police guiding everyone to safety. The phrase carries urgency and caution. ✏️ This is often used as a warning or instruction — you’ll hear it a lot from police, parents, and safety officers.
Vivid example: The glass shattered across the pavement and people jumped back in surprise. A security guard quickly shouted at everyone to move away from the broken window, guiding the crowd to the other side of the street until the area was safe.
This meaning is about stopping something you used to do or believe. Imagine a company that always used paper documents for everything. Then one day, they decide to move away from paper and switch to digital systems instead. This is abandoning an old approach in favour of something new. You might say “the school is moving away from traditional exams” or “I’m trying to move away from unhealthy eating habits.” Or think about a politician who slowly moves away from promises they made during the election, changing their position over time. The phrase suggests a gradual shift, not a sudden stop. ✏️ This is very common in business and news — you’ll often hear “the company is moving away from” when they change strategy or direction.
Vivid example: The restaurant had served the same menu for fifteen years. But the new owner wanted to move away from the old-fashioned style and introduce modern dishes, slowly changing the menu while keeping a few classics that loyal customers loved.
Examples from the street:
“We’re trying to move away from using so much plastic at home.” → We’re making an effort to stop relying on plastic and find better alternatives
“She moved away from her family when she was 18.” → She left the area where her family lived at 18 (physical relocation)
“The company is moving away from its traditional model.” → The business is gradually abandoning its old way of doing things
Move away from as abandoning / shifting from something — VERY COMMON:
– move away from (a practice/approach/model) → gradually stop using a method or system
– move away from (an idea/belief/tradition) → shift your thinking or values in a new direction
– trying to / wanting to move away from → expressing intention to leave behind a habit or approach
– move away from (something) towards (something) → shift from one approach to another
– a move away from → used as a noun phrase to describe the shift itself
– need to move away from → expressing that a change is necessary
Move away from as physical relocation:
– move away from (a place/city/country) → relocate to a different area
– move away from (someone) → leave the area where a person lives
– move away from home → leave one’s family home, typically for the first time
Move away from as creating physical distance:
– move away from (something dangerous) → step back or retreat from a threat
– move away from the (edge/window/door) → step back from a specific spot
– slowly / quickly move away from → describes the speed of retreating
Example Sentences
1. The government is moving away from fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy
→ The authorities are gradually abandoning oil and coal and putting money into clean power sources instead.
2. Many schools are trying to move away from traditional exam-based assessment
→ A lot of educational institutions are working to stop relying on old-fashioned test-centred grading.
3. There’s been a move away from formal dress codes in most modern offices
→ There’s been a noticeable shift away from strict clothing rules in the majority of today’s workplaces.
4. She wants to move away from her reputation as just a pop singer
→ She’s keen to leave behind the image people have of her as nothing more than a chart music performer.
5. We need to move away from this idea that success means working 80 hours a week
→ We should stop believing that achievement requires spending nearly every waking hour at your job.
6. The industry is moving away from single-use packaging towards reusable containers
→ The sector is gradually dropping disposable wrapping and switching to containers people can use again.
7. He moved away from London because the cost of living was too high
→ He left the capital and relocated elsewhere because everything there was far too expensive.
8. It was hard for her to move away from home for the first time at 17
→ Leaving her family’s house and living on her own for the first time at such a young age was really tough for her.
9. The police told everyone to move away from the building immediately
→ The officers ordered the crowd to step back from the structure and get to a safe distance right away.
10. He slowly moved away from the dog when he realised it was growling at him
→ He carefully stepped back from the animal once he noticed it was making threatening sounds.
Learner Examples
1. Our school is trying to move away from grammar-heavy textbooks and focus more on real conversation practice
→ Our institution is working to stop depending on coursebooks packed with rules and concentrate instead on authentic speaking activities.
2. Language teachers need to move away from the idea that every mistake must be corrected immediately
→ Instructors should abandon the belief that every error a student makes has to be pointed out the moment it happens.
✔ Native usage tips
– The abstract meaning dominates in conversation — in everyday English, “move away from” is used far more often to mean abandoning an idea, habit, or approach than physically walking away from something
– “Move away from” vs “move on from” — “move away from” emphasises distancing yourself from something specific (“move away from outdated methods”); “move on from” emphasises leaving the past behind and continuing forward (“move on from the breakup”). They overlap but the focus is different
– Very common in news and business language — you’ll constantly hear “the company is moving away from…” or “there’s a move away from…” in journalism, reports, and corporate announcements. It signals a strategic shift
– “A move away from” as a noun phrase — this is extremely useful and natural. “There’s been a real move away from cash” sounds much more native than “people are stopping using cash”
– Often paired with “towards” — native speakers frequently use the full pattern “moving away from X towards Y” to show both what’s being left and what’s replacing it. This sounds polished and clear
– “Move away from home” — this is a fixed, extremely common expression for leaving your family’s house for the first time, usually as a young adult. It carries emotional weight — independence, growing up, nostalgia
✔ Similar expressions / words
– Shift away from → slightly more formal and analytical; preferred in academic writing and journalism; “a shift away from” sounds more measured and deliberate than “a move away from”
– Steer away from → implies more intentional control and decision-making; suggests someone is actively guiding the direction; “steer clear of” is a related idiom meaning to avoid entirely
– Break away from → much stronger and more dramatic; implies escaping something restrictive or oppressive; “break away from tradition” sounds more radical than “move away from tradition”