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
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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
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Recent Examples of break up
Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 21 Feb. 2026
South Alabama guard Jalen Cooper tied the game with 9 seconds left on another 3-pointer, and after breaking up Texas State’s final offensive possession, the game went into OT.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
According to investigators, Gingles was going through a contentious breakup.
—Joan Murray, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
She had been blamed for breaking up the greatest band of all time; her art was pretentious and nonsensical; her music was unlistenable.
—Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 21 Feb. 2026
South Alabama guard Jalen Cooper tied the game with 9 seconds left on another 3-pointer, and after breaking up Texas State’s final offensive possession, the game went into OT.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
Noun
The firm had a rocky first few years, including a breakup with Pack that has become lore in blockchain VC circles, as well as an abandonment of China amid the government’s crypto crackdown.
—Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
According to investigators, Gingles was going through a contentious breakup.
—Joan Murray, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
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That report was roundly rejected by the scientific community, and the group of five were later sued by environmental groups and disbanded.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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In 2017, the legislature disbanded its bipartisan Program Review and Investigations Committee, one of the reforms adopted in the 1970s.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The video, shared by the Chino Police Department, shows two vehicles stopping at a red light in front of and behind a big rig on Friday.—
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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Evan Geyen stopped 20 shots in goal for Delano.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Senate Republicans are sharply divided over how to pursue the SAVE America Act voter ID and citizenship bill.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
26 Feb. 2026
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In the poll, nearly all respondents (91%) said the state’s budget situation was somewhat of a problem, though they were divided on how to close the gap, with 43% for spending cuts and 39% through a mix of cuts and tax increases.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After he's dispatched, Isabel and Jay crack his database of dirt, revealing all of the first family's shady dealings.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
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Retention of casual viewers is a nut that’s notoriously hard to crack, and NASCAR isn’t alone in trying to convert its hordes of curiosity seekers.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nearly every country in Europe has significantly reduced or ceased Russian energy imports since Moscow launched its full-scale war in Ukraine.—
SAM McNEIL,
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
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Nearly every country in Europe has significantly reduced or entirely ceased Russian energy imports since Moscow launched its full-scale war in Ukraine.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While fears over how artificial intelligence models from Anthropic and OpenAI could disrupt a myriad of industries — especially software firms — have churned markets in recent weeks, the broader S&P 500 isn’t far off from its all-time record level.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
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Authorities and witnesses reported burning vehicles, road blockades and attacks meant to disrupt security forces and restrict movement.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The audience, some quietly weeping, some laughing through tears, stayed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
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California authorities weren’t laughing.—
Ethan Baron,
Boston Herald,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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However, the couple separated in 2017 and Gayheart filed to divorce Dane in 2018, but the split was never finalized.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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According to The Times of London, which first reported the split over airbase access, Starmer has denied the use of RAF Fairford in England and Diego Garcia – the British overseas territory in the Indian Ocean – for any strike on Iran.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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