1
as in to disband
to cease to exist or cause to cease to exist as a group or organization
the band broke up when their arguments over money grew too stressful
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2
as in to stop
to come to an end
the meeting broke up when all the business for the day had been completed
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3
as in to divide
to set or force apart
he broke up the rocks in the old stone wall with a crowbar, sending them tumbling to the ground
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4
as in to crack
to yield to mental or emotional stress
the sort of person who would be among the first to break up in a prisoner of war camp
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5
as in to cease
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
police arrived at the scene and immediately broke up the fracas
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6
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
break up the feta cheese and spread it over the salad
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7
as in to laugh
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
if you break up during the skit, the audience will know that you're in on the joke
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as in split
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces
the breakup of the Soviet Union and the collapse of communism pretty much signaled the end of the Cold War
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break up
Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Furlan, who is a comedian, addressed social media claims that she was broken up with Lee and was seduced by a catfish posing as another rock star, Falling in Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke.
—Nicole Briese, People.com, 19 May 2025
Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 May 2025
The continent could trigger the breakup of the alliance just by talking about it, prompting Trump’s anger and a sudden U.S. withdrawal.
—Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
This could see Boston make some major moves this offseason, breaking up the title-winning group.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
Furlan, who is a comedian, addressed social media claims that she was broken up with Lee and was seduced by a catfish posing as another rock star, Falling in Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke.
—Nicole Briese, People.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
And the company gave up hope of a soft splashdown for the vehicle, instead becoming resigned to a breakup over the Indian Ocean during Ship's reentry.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 May 2025
The continent could trigger the breakup of the alliance just by talking about it, prompting Trump’s anger and a sudden U.S. withdrawal.
—Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
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Yet the Eighth Brigade, a 3,000 strong group of rebel Sunni forces in the Southern Daraa Governorate, disbanded in April after pressure from al-Sharaa.—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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But the committee’s work was abruptly terminated when, on Feb. 28 – just a month after Trump’s inauguration – the new administration disbanded it.—
Alice Herman,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2025
Verb
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The chase reportedly ended when Buckley wrecked near the intersection of Watts and McAlister streets, an area of mostly forest about 1 1/2 miles southeast of where Buckley was first stopped.—
Grant Lancaster,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2025
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It's been hard for any team to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was named the regular season MVP.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Divided Society Finally, the uneven distribution of access to and benefits from humanoid technology could divide society even further.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
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These changes, called genetic mutations, cause bone marrow cells to grow and divide too quickly.11 Experts don’t fully understand why these genetic mutations happen.—
Health,
Health,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Once it’s done baking, slightly open your oven to release the steam and allow the cake to adjust to room temperature before setting in the fridge, ensuring your cheesecake doesn’t dry out or crack in the process.—
Sam Settleman,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
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The men beat 27-year-old Chin with a baseball bat, cracking his skull.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Yet, for some time now, there has been a third movement that tends to be articulated more in art than elsewhere, even if elsewhere there has long since ceased to be any alternative.—
Diedrich Diederichsen,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
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The mayor also said that late-night establishments and all nightclubs must cease operations at midnight.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Despite the sharp decline in sales, Capri’s inventories were up 1 percent at the end of the quarter, reflecting $60 million of goods that were brought in earlier than planned in a sourcing landscape that’s been disrupted by President Donald Trump’s trade war.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
28 May 2025
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An extended pause in scheduling student visas could lead to delays that may disrupt college, boarding-school or exchange students’ plans to enroll in summer and fall terms.—
Annie Ma,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Are the locals quietly laughing at us behind our backs?—
James Fallon,
Footwear News,
24 May 2025
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What if automatic password hacking machines laugh in the face of your security efforts?—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Noun
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The former couple split 11 months after welcoming their baby girl in October 2000.—
Jen Juneau,
People.com,
29 May 2025
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For instance, if the cost of a service is $1,000, and the state and federal government split is 50-50, the state might add a 5% provider tax that would bring the total cost of the service to $1,050.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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