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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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
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
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
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
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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
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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
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Paul Goldschmidt had one of just three Yankees hits in Saturday’s 7-0 loss to the A’s, but that didn’t stop him from sharing some self-depreciation after the game.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2025
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Trying to stop the runaway, Jeff was knocked to the concrete and sustained a fractured skull and other life-threatening injuries that left him in a coma for weeks.—
Neil Milbert,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2025
Verb
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The brand’s production is divided between Paris and Istanbul, the latter being a city with family ties for India.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
30 June 2025
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The Oval Office’s ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ has divided opinion, after estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found the policies would cost the poorest Americans roughly $1,600 a year while increasing the income of the wealthiest households by an average of $12,000 annually.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
29 June 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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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
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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
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The Justice Department has filed similar prosecutions in recent years, as well as created an initiative aimed at disrupting the threat.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 July 2025
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As discussed ad nauseum Iran could disrupt shipping in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, but only partly and only for a brief period.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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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
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People eating, people laughing, people talking on the mobile.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
Noun
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Earlier this week, Johnson was photographed hanging out with Kate Hudson on a boat in Ibiza amid rumors of her split from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
4 July 2025
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The split in 1845 followed a ruling by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society prohibiting slave owners from becoming missionaries.—
Michael Casey,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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