break up 1 of 2

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
3
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
6
7

breakup

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of break up
Verb
The trip is presented almost as a lark, something to break up the sisters’ otherwise not-that-exciting lives. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 24 June 2025 The guardian frogs of Borneo have long been broken up into two distinct species: Limnonectes palavanensis, the smooth guardian frog, and Limnonectes finchi, the rough guardian frog. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025
Noun
More Michael Owens/Getty Images The 25-year-old isn't a strong tackler but has elite coverage skills when healthy, recording 35 pass breakups and six interceptions across his first three seasons. Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025 Cut to a flashback to fighting in the car about the cost of parking, which leads to their breakup over his inability to afford her. Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
  • The president has also made sweeping changes at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including canceling grants and cutting staff, and has suggested disbanding the agency altogether as soon as this fall.
    Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
  • After Heavy Machinery disbanded, Otis soon joined forces with Chad Gable to form Alpha Academy, becoming one of the most popular tag teams in WWE.
    Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Without any consequences, this autocratic politician will continue to push the limits of his authority beyond the breaking point until someone forces him to stop.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 29 June 2025
  • The state will become the second following Utah to stop public utilities from fluoridating water.
    Kairi Lowery, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • The issue of getting more involved in the conflict has divided Trump's MAGA base, with some pointing to his campaign promise to keep America out of foreign wars.
    Allison Pecorin, ABC News, 18 June 2025
  • The internet is divided over a recent marketing gimmick involving Sydney Sweeney, who, in collaboration with the men's personal care company Dr. Squatch, authorized the creation and sale of bars of soap containing, among other things, her bathwater.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The album first cracked the top 10 on the Billboard 200 on the chart dated Aug. 31, 1985, and first reached No. 1 on the chart dated March 8, 1986.
    Paul Grein, Billboard, 25 June 2025
  • Whoever cracks this first could use a first mover’s advantage to build a hard-to-beat flywheel of highly engaged, big-spending consumers that attracts partner brands and retailers that don’t want to miss out on a new growth channel.
    Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Seven of the health facilities that Save the Children had supported in the region have fully closed, and 20 more have partly ceased operations.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025
  • In 2021, Iran revealed its plan for taking enrichment from 20% to 60%, and soon afterward ceased to provide any further details on its fuel-making program.
    Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • These attacks don’t just disrupt operations but also expose deeply personal financial information that can fuel identity theft, fraud and long-term reputational damage.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
  • Globally, heatwaves, droughts, and extreme weather are disrupting supply chains, inflating food prices, and undermining financial stability.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • As the light filters through the windows, the students laugh and ask questions; there’s a creative flow in the room.
    Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 29 June 2025
  • People eating, people laughing, people talking on the mobile.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • After a dramatic split from his onetime girlfriend and cofounder, Phil Shawe bought out her half of their translation firm in 2018.
    Phoebe Liu, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • When the couple split, their assets and properties were divided per the agreement.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on break up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!