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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Stir in ground beef, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink.
—Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 7 May 2025
James Boyd, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Honeywell provided some updates on the conference call about its wise breakup plans.
—Jeff Marks,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
Rosa, who is disabled and recovering from surgery, claimed that she was struck while trying to break up an altercation.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Stir in ground beef, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink.
—Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 7 May 2025
Noun
Edwards totaled just one pass breakup and zero picks in 14 games during the 2024 campaign.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Honeywell provided some updates on the conference call about its wise breakup plans.
—Jeff Marks,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
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The officers were all part of the force’s controversial SCORPION unit – created to tackle rising crime in the city and disbanded amid national outcry and allegations of pervasive policing abuses following Nichols’ death.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
8 May 2025
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At a time in America when our institutional safety nets are being disbanded and the burden to support each other often comes down to individual efforts, Charlie’s struggle feels all the more apt.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
8 May 2025
Verb
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Chemotherapy Chemotherapy agents, most commonly docetaxel, may be used when hormone treatments stop working and a person has metastatic CRPC.—
Matthew Wosnitzer,
Verywell Health,
12 May 2025
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Angelo must stop whoever’s coming for his family by searching his past hits for clues, and the list is very long.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
12 May 2025
Verb
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What's Next Breastfeeding often divides public opinion, and will likely spark similar debates online in the future.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
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On our trip to Greenville, Victor stopped at a road that divides two burial grounds in town.—
Erika Hayasaki,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 May 2025
Verb
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This offbeat, easygoing ride includes stops to sample tropical fruits (freshly cracked coconut, mangoes, and key limes), facts and sightings of tropical flora, and cruises down side streets showcasing Key West’s diverse residential architecture (Shotgun, Bahamian, and Conch-style).—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
8 May 2025
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And yet, no brand has cracked the code on making Chinese viral, relevant, and emotionally sticky (like manga did for Japanese or K-pop did for Korean).—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Verb
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But without a new agreement, it would be forced to cease operations and lay off 58 workers at the Vacaville site.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2025
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Ryan Furniture in Havre de Grace will cease operations after doing business over 75 years.—
Todd Karpovich,
Baltimore Sun,
6 May 2025
Verb
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Indeed, on Thursday in Basel, a small group of protesters blew whistles and waved flags to disrupt one of Raphael’s public rehearsals.—
Alex Marshall,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
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Light pollution disrupts animal behavior, interrupts plant cycles, and affects human health.—
Valerie Stimac,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Another adorable snap featured Bush and Ocean laughing and cuddling together on a couch.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
12 May 2025
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The designer laughed, shook her head with a little rueful humor.—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Noun
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The latter split at the end of the 1968 season due to financial disagreements and eventually founded the current PGA Tour.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 May 2025
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The exact split is yet to be confirmed, but around 25 per cent of the value pillar is shared according to the 10-year ranking; the remaining 75 per cent incorporates both the five-year ranking and a club’s share of their country’s TV pool.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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