go separate ways

Meaning

This expression means to end a relationship, marriage, or partnership and move in different directions. It is often used when a breakup or split is mutual, mature, and without major conflict. It can apply to romantic couples, business partners, or close friends who drift apart over time.

Examples

• After five years of dating, they decided to go their separate ways.

  After five years of dating, they decided to go their separate ways.

• The band members chose to go their separate ways to pursue solo projects.

  The band members chose to go their separate ways to pursue solo projects.

• We realized we wanted different things in life, so we went our separate ways.

  We realized we wanted different things in life, so we went our separate ways.

• It's sad when close friends go their separate ways after college.

  It's sad when close friends go their separate ways after college.

• They went their separate ways but still speak highly of each other.

  They went their separate ways but still speak highly of each other.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ They decided to go to separate ways.

  ✓ They decided to go their separate ways.

  Do not use the preposition 'to' before 'separate ways'. The phrase requires a possessive adjective like 'their', 'our', or 'his'.

• ✗ We went separate way after the meeting.

  ✓ We went our separate ways after the meeting.

  The word 'ways' must be plural, and you need to include a possessive pronoun to make the sentence sound natural.

Related Expressions

Practice

• After the business failed, the two partners decided to ___.

  💡 Think about moving in different directions using a possessive adjective.

  Show answer

  go their separate ways

• We didn't fight; we just realized it was time to ___.

  💡 Use the first-person plural form of the expression.

  Show answer

  go our separate ways