1
as in disbands
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 stops
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 divides
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in cracks
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 ceases
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 disrupts
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in laughs
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 breaks up
Sometimes your boyfriend breaks up with you to be with an older divorced mom and that's a good thing.
—
Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
The Gap Factory Relaxed Linen-blend Wide-leg Pants, now 50 percent off, come in a vibrant hot pink that instantly breaks up a neutral-heavy suitcase and adds a playful pop for spring and summer itineraries.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2026
While Sam begins hallucinating people as puppets, Justin breaks up with him.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Belly, devastated by the betrayal, slaps Jeremiah and breaks up with him.
—Alexandra Hurtado, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Needless to say, Bobby breaks up with her later.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
The Gap Factory Relaxed Linen-blend Wide-leg Pants, now 50 percent off, come in a vibrant hot pink that instantly breaks up a neutral-heavy suitcase and adds a playful pop for spring and summer itineraries.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2026
While Sam begins hallucinating people as puppets, Justin breaks up with him.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Belly, devastated by the betrayal, slaps Jeremiah and breaks up with him.
—Alexandra Hurtado, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Needless to say, Bobby breaks up with her later.
—Jake Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaks up
Verb
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And once the dog is found, the Search Party network disbands.—
Mike Feibus,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
-
DiCaprio plays Bob, a revolutionary in hiding with his teen daughter (Chase Infiniti) after his activist group the French 75 disbands in chaos.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Luke then successfully stops two blasts from the training remote while not being able to see.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
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Kathryn Stockett, who published her blockbuster novel The Help in 2009, is back with her first new book in 17 years—The Calamity Club—and she’s headed to Alabama on one of her first book tour stops.—
Southern Living Editors,
Southern Living,
4 May 2026
Verb
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At the end of the fiscal year, the DOC determines its spending across areas like prison upkeep, the cost of settling lawsuits and workers’ claims, then divides that cost among all the people who were incarcerated at the time, Barrett said.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
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The model divides decision-making into three layers, including base, action, and evaluation.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That the New York DMA was in the mix is particularly noteworthy, as Gotham rarely cracks even the Super Bowl’s top-20 local markets—a function of its sheer size.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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Rhea has a wondrous laugh, which cracks the air like a lightning bolt of joy.—
Britt Lower,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Director of the Atlantic City International Airport tells CBS News the airline makes up about 85% of its business, and if the airline ceases operations, hundreds of jobs would be impacted.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
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If Spirit ceases operations, passengers with tickets for upcoming flights should file claims with the issuer of the credit or debit card used to purchase the tickets.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Experts warn that the war in Iran and the resulting fuel shocks can strain funding and disrupts field operations, hindering global conservation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Dyslexia is a learning difference that disrupts how the brain processes written language.—
Ann Bullock,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This advertised butt jokes, campy fight montages and sinister Seth Rogen laughs.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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One can see why wrestling appealed to him—the crowd is everything, the rules mean nothing, and the referees are so feckless that they often get knocked out and everyone laughs.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Romvari disappears Jeremy from shots in the film as Sasha’s fantasy dissolves.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
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Mixing colostrum powder with liquid not only dissolves it properly but also minimizes potential risks.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaks up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaks%20up. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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