1
as in disbanding
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
as in ending
to come to an end
the meeting broke up when all the business for the day had been completed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dividing
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in losing it
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
as in stopping
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
police arrived at the scene and immediately broke up the fracas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in disrupting
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
break up the feta cheese and spread it over the salad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in laughing
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of breaking up
Ratner notes that acting CDC Director Jim O'Neill has suggested breaking up the standard measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three separate shots, which Ratner says is neither feasible nor is it backed by data.
—
Maria Godoy, NPR, 12 Oct. 2025
Stir, and cook, stirring and breaking up meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 2 minutes.
—Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
In September 2024, Jane’s Addiction came to an abrupt and explosive end during a Boston concert when Farrell punched guitarist Dave Navarro onstage, an incident that resulted in the reunion tour’s immediate cancellation, the band breaking up, and now a pair of lawsuits.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Video on social media showed the explosion and its aftermath as remains of the spacecraft were seen breaking up in what looked like a stunning meteor shower.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Ed is left alone on the farm after impulsively killing that brother (whose actual death might have been accidental) for breaking up the family unit and, the next year, losing Augusta to complications from a stroke.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
This is the first time the former couple have been seen in public together since breaking up in July.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Chapterhouse formed in 1987 in Reading, England, and released two albums during their original run—including the heralded shoegaze classic Whirlpool—before breaking up in 1994.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Sep. 2025
Lopez and Affleck first dated in 2002 and got engaged before breaking up and then reconnecting in 2021, getting married the following year and divorcing last year.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
Maria Godoy, NPR, 12 Oct. 2025
Stir, and cook, stirring and breaking up meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 2 minutes.
—Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
In September 2024, Jane’s Addiction came to an abrupt and explosive end during a Boston concert when Farrell punched guitarist Dave Navarro onstage, an incident that resulted in the reunion tour’s immediate cancellation, the band breaking up, and now a pair of lawsuits.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Video on social media showed the explosion and its aftermath as remains of the spacecraft were seen breaking up in what looked like a stunning meteor shower.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Ed is left alone on the farm after impulsively killing that brother (whose actual death might have been accidental) for breaking up the family unit and, the next year, losing Augusta to complications from a stroke.
—Judy Berman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
This is the first time the former couple have been seen in public together since breaking up in July.
—Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025
Chapterhouse formed in 1987 in Reading, England, and released two albums during their original run—including the heralded shoegaze classic Whirlpool—before breaking up in 1994.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Sep. 2025
Lopez and Affleck first dated in 2002 and got engaged before breaking up and then reconnecting in 2021, getting married the following year and divorcing last year.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking up
Verb
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From there, Hansen and his bandmates determined the best course of action, and discussions even arose about disbanding the group, which had formed in 1976.—
Mark Gray,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
-
The new Search Party feature is designed with privacy in mind, only sharing potential dog sightings and disbanding the network once the pet is found.—
Mike Feibus,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Still, ending the war always required that Hamas agree to a deal—perhaps an ugly one, certainly an imperfect one, but one that would bring a stop to the killing.—
Mohammed R. Mhawish,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
-
After Voodoo, D’Angelo went over a decade without releasing music, finally ending that long hiatus at the end of 2014 with Black Messiah.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Now dividing her time between New York and Santiago, she is known for works responding to the Indigenous culture of Chile and to the economic, political, environmental, and gender disparities that arise within societies.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Specifically, Lecornu demands all issues currently dividing the National Assembly into three factions be brought to parliamentary debate.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Right Now Reducing and eventually stopping sugar cravings can take time.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
10 Oct. 2025
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His dad raced, and Vinson followed in his father’s footsteps beginning at age 14 before eventually stopping to focus on his career as an educator, first as a teacher and coach, then eventually an administrator, principal and now a superintendent.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The president's latest threats are disrupting, at least briefly, what had been a sustained rally in tech, built on hundreds of billions of dollars in planned spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure.—
Ari Levy,Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
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Book-Carrie initially blames Lo for disrupting her and Richard’s plan, and willingly holds her hostage at Richard’s behest.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Darius is looking over from the sideline, laughing at me.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
There were several more pool pics of them together, some showed the couple laughing.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Fix needed, fast If Lecornu’s efforts over the next few hours fail, Macron will be faced with the choice of appointing a new PM, dissolving parliament and calling fresh parliamentary elections, or resigning.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
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The unpalatable alternative for Macron would be dissolving parliament again, ceding to pressure from the far right in particular for another unscheduled cycle of legislative elections.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There is an expiring window, the desire to go deeper than the second round and enough holes on the roster to justify a big push by deadline day.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
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With agency closures stretching to a week, Democrats anticipate that the GOP rank-and-file will become more willing to negotiate an extension of expiring ACA subsidies that would help end the shutdown.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Breaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20up. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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