break away vs exfoliate

break away and exfoliate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
break away	No	No	Yes	No
exfoliate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, exfoliate is a hyponym of break away; that is, exfoliate is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than break away:

Other hyponyms of break away include flake, flake off, peel, peel off.

break away (verb)	exfoliate (verb)
break off (a piece from a whole)	grow by producing or unfolding leaves
flee; take to one's heels; cut and run	cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters
move away or escape suddenly	remove the surface, in scales or laminae
withdraw from an organization or communion	spread by opening the leaves of
interrupt a continued activity	come off in a very thin piece