break up

1 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 of break up disband, disperse, dissolveWords Related to break up demobilizeNear Antonyms of break up incorporate; consolidate; hang togetherAntonyms of break up band, join, unite

2 to come to an end the meeting broke up when all the business for the day had been completed Synonyms of break up break off, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out)Words Related to break up desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from); give over [British], knock off, pack (up or in); break down, conk (out), cut out, stall; pause, stay, suspend; abate, peter (out), wind downNear Antonyms of break up draw out, extend, prolong, protractAntonyms of break up continue, hang on, persist

3 to set or force apart he broke up the rocks in the old stone wall with a crowbar, sending them tumbling to the ground Synonyms of break up separate, decouple, disassociate, disconnect, disjoin, disjoint, dissever, dissociate, disunite, divide, divorce, part, ramify, resolve, sever, split, sunder, uncouple, unlink, unyokeWords Related to break up break down, decompose, disassemble, disintegrate, dissolve; bifurcate, bisect, cleave, dichotomize, dissect, fractionalize, fractionate, halve, partition, quarter, segment, subdivide, trisect; fragment, fragmentate, fragmentize; break, fracture, pull, rend, rift, rip, rive, rupture, tear; cut off, insulate, isolate, seclude, segregate, sequester; detach, disengage, disentangle, unravel, untieNear Antonyms of break up assemble, associate, blend, combine, mingle, mix; connect, couple; accumulate, agglutinate, attach, bind, cement, close, fasten, fuse, knit, stick, weldAntonyms of break up join, link, unify, unite

4 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 of break up break down, crack, flip (out) [slang], freak (out), melt down, wig (out) [slang]Words Related to break up choke

5 to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end police arrived at the scene and immediately broke up the fracas Synonyms of break up break, break off, stop, can [slang], cease, cut off, cut out, desist (from), discontinue, drop, end, give over, halt, knock off, lay off, leave off, pack (up or in), quit, shut offWords Related to break up complete, conclude, finish; close (down); deactivate; block, blockade, dam, delay, detain, hinder, hold, hold back, impede, kibosh, obstruct, stem; call, suspend; arrest, brake, check, clamp down, rein (in), squash, squelch, stamp, stanch (or staunch), stunt, suppress, turn back; pause, stay, suspend; abolish, abort, annul, demolish, destroy, dissolve, kill, ruin, scuttle, snuffNear Antonyms of break up carry on, continue, follow through (with), keep up, run on; advance, proceed, progress; actuate, drive, impel, propel, stir

6 to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly break up the feta cheese and spread it over the salad Synonyms of break up break, bust, distintegrate, dismember, disrupt, fracture, fragment, riveWords Related to break up atomize, crush, grind, powder, pulverize, reduce; blast, blow up, burst, detonate, explode; crack, pop, shatter, shiver, smash; chip, sliver, splinter, split; implode; destroy, ruin, wreckNear Antonyms of break up doctor, fix, heal, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renovate, repair

7 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 Synonyms of break up laugh, cackle, chortle, chuckle, crack up, giggle, hee-haw, roar, scream, snicker, titter, twitterWords Related to break up grin, smileNear Antonyms of break up bawl, blubber, cry, sob, weep; howl, scream, squall, wail, yowl; bleat, pule, whimper, whine; sniffle, snivel; groan, moan, sigh