breaking the mould
Shattering established patterns
Breaking the mould means doing something in a radically new way that departs from established patterns or conventions.
The phrase evokes the idea of destroying a casting form so no identical copies can be made: She broke the mould with her unconventional approach to teaching.
Often used to praise innovation or originality.
Also spelled *breaking the mold* in American English.
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- originalityNovel creative quality
- inventionNew device or method
- trailblazingBeing the first through
- thinking outside the boxUnconventional creative reasoning
iconoclasm · activism · counterculture · status quo · ingenuity · reform · pioneering · empowerment · breakthrough · experimentation · maverick · rebellion · paradigm shift · game changer · novelty · fresh start · one of a kind · progressivism
breaking the mouldconforming
Meeting accepted standards
following the crowd · toeing the line · falling in line · playing it safe · staying in one's lane
breaking the mouldcookie-cutter
Mold for baked treats
carbon copy · same old same old · run-of-the-mill · bog-standard · cut from the same cloth
break, breaks, broken, breaker, breakers, mould, moulds, moulded, moulding