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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
Vacmaster Portable Carpet Cleaner Utilizing 15 kilopascals of suction power, the cleaner shampoos carpeted and upholstered surfaces to break up tough messes.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2025
This is where the new breakup presents both a risk and an opportunity.
—Hank Cardello, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
The latter is in disarray after the departure of its former CEO Daniel Lalonde, who allegedly left over the investment fund’s decision to break up the company, in January.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
Vacmaster Portable Carpet Cleaner Utilizing 15 kilopascals of suction power, the cleaner shampoos carpeted and upholstered surfaces to break up tough messes.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
The outfit has endured its share of challenges, however, and was involved in an acrimonious breakup with the The Chosen filmmakers (the series was an early victory for Angel’s digital platforms).
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2025
This is where the new breakup presents both a risk and an opportunity.
—Hank Cardello, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
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Davies, who also played keyboards and harmonica, carried the band forward after Hodgson's departure in 1983 but disbanded the group by the end of the decade.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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The group released eight studio albums together, but in 1980, following Bonham’s death, Led Zeppelin disbanded.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nothing better than putting down the top and driving beautiful roads just after the rain stops and the air is powerfully charged by the nearby ocean, scrubbed clean.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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In fact, water levels at Lake Powell, one of the main water storage reservoirs for the Colorado River Basin, could fall low enough to stop hydropower generation at the reservoir by December 2026, according to the NOAA report.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While Towanda plans the wedding of her dreams, the family is rocked by medical emergencies, explosive emotional confrontations, and the fallout from a public scandal that threatens to divide them for good.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The conflict between Israel and Palestine was dividing friends, sparking tensions, and fueling rising acts of hostility.—
Rchin Bari,
Boston Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Even some of the most successful K-pop artists in America have yet to crack one of Billboard’s radio lists, or to land a major win.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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Thanks to the flaw, the hackers were able to crack the credentials and gain administrative privileges to accounts on Ascension’s Microsoft Active Directory server, which can be harnessed to manage user accounts and applications over a company’s network.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Without any of the three, money once again ceases to circulate.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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After that, production would temporarily cease with operations idling until October 2025 in order to complete retooling work to prepare the facility for production of the 2026 model year.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, concern is growing about how certain food additives and preservatives may disrupt the gut’s delicate balance.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
9 Sep. 2025
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Anders is disrupting financial services.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Was he supposed to laugh at him and call him a loser?—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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The driver filmed the incident and laughed as an officer chased after him, court documents say.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Using an outstanding split-finger changeup in a four-pitch mix, the right-hander has certainly worked his way into the New York Mets’ future pitching plans.—
Chuck Murr,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Managing a post-civil war Syria In Syria, years of civil war that had exacerbated splits among ethnic and religious groups finally ended in December 2024.—
David Mednicoff,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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