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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break up
Rob Rossi, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
The show was canceled after one season, at which point the couple broke up.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Mike Kaye
updated January 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 Jan. 2026
Listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Parks appeared in 10 games as a junior this season with five starts, producing 21 tackles and two pass breakups.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
No officials attempted to break up the brawl, and the crowd cheered on the youth players.
—Rob Rossi, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
The show was canceled after one season, at which point the couple broke up.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
And cornerback Mike Jackson, who had four pass breakups and an interception in the playoff game, dismissed criticism of Evero’s play-calling on the defense’s final drive.
—Mike Kaye
updated January 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 Jan. 2026
Listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Parks appeared in 10 games as a junior this season with five starts, producing 21 tackles and two pass breakups.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
-
The Bad Plus, the iconoclastic jazz group known for its genre-eschewing approach, will disband in 2026, closing a 26-year chapter of experimentation.—
Marc Schneider,
Billboard,
13 Jan. 2026
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When the group disbanded after Garcia’s death in 1995, Weir continued to lead or co-lead iterations of the band for another 30 years, culminating in a three-night 60th-anniversary celebration in San Francisco this past August.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If this is your habit, be sure to stop adding fertilizer in the fall when plant growth begins to slow.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
21 Jan. 2026
-
When boat rentals stop for the winter, plan to take a walk around the basin instead of paddling on it for equally impressive views.—
Cailey Rizzo,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On January 24, there will be a mandatory payout meaning no matter how many winning tickets there are, the entire pool will be divided amongst the winning tickets.—
Danny Brewer,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The need for reinvention comes about not because the world is divided into men and women, old and young, but rather because people are diverse and come to the table with differing needs, wants, and perspectives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
McNee said any tree that has sap could have frost cracking in the right conditions.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
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Social media treats the tree-popping phenomenon as a sign of the apocalypse, but Indigenous peoples have long used the sound of cracking timber to mark the passage of winter.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In recent years, Blackhawk Bar & Grille and Century Theaters ceased operations at Blackhawk Plaza, which removed significant anchors from the center.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
At that point, the issue ceased to be solely about Maduro and became about precedent.—
Richard Kiy,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report, employers estimate that 39% of core skills — such as problem-solving and communication — will be disrupted by 2030, with 40% of firms planning to reduce their workforce specifically due to AI automation.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
13 Jan. 2026
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Both claim that new jobs and addressing the threat of being eclipsed by other nations offsets the risk of data centers damaging the environment and disrupting people’s lives.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Scott Adams, who kept cubicle denizens laughing for more than three decades with Dilbert, the bitingly funny comic strip that poked fun at the absurdity of corporate life, before racist remarks got him pink-slipped, died Tuesday.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Snoop Dogg called out as the audience laughed.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mafuko’s mother was killed in 2007 and in 2013, during the split of Kabirizi family, Mafuko joined the Bageni family.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Per People, the split is amicable with no major turmoil leading up to it.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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