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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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of break up
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2025
Their fluid shapes break up stacks of thin and wide bands, instantly adding depth and dimension to your look.
—Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2025
Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2025
The few pass breakups were from Mike Hilton, Ethan Bonner and Cornell Armstrong.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
Just for old times’ sake, Ohtani broke up the shutout with a solo home run in the eighth inning.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2025
Their fluid shapes break up stacks of thin and wide bands, instantly adding depth and dimension to your look.
—Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Thornton finished with three tackles (one for loss) and a pass breakup on the night.
—Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2025
The few pass breakups were from Mike Hilton, Ethan Bonner and Cornell Armstrong.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
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This year alone, the U.S. Park Police have disbanded about 70 encampments from federal parks in the city, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
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What To Know South Korea's active-duty force now numbers 450,000, down by about 110,000 from 2019, with 17 divisions having been disbanded or merged.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Texas Democrats fled their state on August 3, heading to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, in order to stop Republicans from approving the redrawn House maps sought by President Donald Trump that would give the GOP five more winnable seats before next year's midterm elections.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
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That means that education will continue to be a big part in stopping scammers.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The preliminary plat shows the larger 61-acre parcel divided into three phases with a mix of retail uses and two apartment complexes.—
Laura Kinsler,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Aug. 2025
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Control of Earth is now divided among five mega-corporations.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Justin Scott Of all the first- and second-year defensive linemen on the Hurricanes’ roster, Justin Scott is the most poised for consistent playing time — and to potentially crack the starting lineup.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
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Some highlights: Security researchers figured out how to crack eight brands of electronic safes using two different techniques, both exposing significant vulnerabilities, Wired reports.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Drones pose a serious risk to firefighting and can cause air operations to cease.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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Martial law is usually enacted when civilian authority has ceased to function, is completely absent, or has become ineffective.—
Joyce Orlando,
Nashville Tennessean,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Indiana Democrats lack the ability to break quorum and disrupt legislative processes, like their counterparts in Texas are currently doing, Pierce told anchor Kate Bolduan.—
Indianapolis Star,
IndyStar,
7 Aug. 2025
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Over time, that idea grew into a global platform that disrupted the hotel business and connects millions of travelers with unique places to stay.—
Adam Sarhan,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Rachael said Lylah will sit on anyone's lap and lick them until the lucky recipients start laughing.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
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As Michael picked up Murphy into his arms, wedding guests laughed in the background.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Blackstock was also Clarkson's manager from 2017 until their 2020 split.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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In the years after their split, however, he’s largely avoided the spotlight and appears to have spent his time DJing.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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