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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break up
Rob Rossi, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
The show was canceled after one season, at which point the couple broke up.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 26 Jan. 2026
The Rams forced a punt on Seattle’s next possession and went on a 14-play, 84-yard drive that came up empty thanks to Witherspoon’s pass breakup.
—Dallas Morning News, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
No officials attempted to break up the brawl, and the crowd cheered on the youth players.
—Rob Rossi, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
The show was canceled after one season, at which point the couple broke up.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
However, their breakup was caused by their busy schedules.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 26 Jan. 2026
The Rams forced a punt on Seattle’s next possession and went on a 14-play, 84-yard drive that came up empty thanks to Witherspoon’s pass breakup.
—Dallas Morning News, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
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Relations between the three soured in 2021 and following Rooney’s DUI arrest that September, the group quietly disbanded.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
24 Jan. 2026
-
After the war, these programs were largely disbanded.—
Colton Valentine,
New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Contraceptives acting on spermatogenesis take a few weeks to kick in, and fertility takes a few weeks to return when a man stops using them.—
Ana Castelain,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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Either way, Mahomes’ reaction, and reportedly Belichick’s, doesn’t stop there.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The federal government included Niscemi in a state of emergency declaration on Monday for three southern regions hard hit by Cyclone Harry and set aside an initial $120 million to be divided among them.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
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In moments of crisis—when communities are grieving, divided, or searching for ways to care for one another—nonprofits stand on the front lines, holding our social fabric together through connection, healing, and support.—
Cat Ward,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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A certain perception of Arsenal’s mental frailties persists, as if this is not just the same team that faltered in the final stages in 2022-23 but the same one that habitually cracked under pressure in the later years of Wenger’s tenure.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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Directed by Stacey Lee and produced by Jon Watts, the three-part documentary series (inspired by the iHeart Media podcast of the same name) chronicles a high school sociology class trying to crack a local cold case.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cardozo added that all milking operations have ceased, and some beef and non-lactating dairy cattle are still grazing.—
Richard Halstead,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Désirée Zamorano Writer and educator Désirée Zamorano recalls the intensity of the time surrounding the Eaton fire last year, bookended by political stress, which hasn’t ceased.—
Erica Zora Wrightson,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Both sides say the strike will disrupt hospital operations.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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The United States on June 25 launched a new satellite expected to significantly improve forecasts of solar flares and coronal mass ejections — huge plasma bubbles that can crash into Earth, disrupting power grids and communications.—
Sasirekha Subramanian,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Charli’s version of herself, though, is a fascinating creation — self-deprecating, yes, and laughing at herself, but with the clinical distance of a telescope lasered onto a forming star.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
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Thank you for not laughing at us for wearing the same bright-colored puffy coats.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Public opinion was closer to 80-20 than a partisan split, driven by concerns about drugs, crime and national security.—
Dustin Olson,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
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Express your love for her, your sadness over the split, your grief about your other sister, your disappointment about the way things have turned out.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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