broke up

past tense of break up
1
as in disbanded
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
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4
as in cracked
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of broke up Later, in 7-on-7, Gilman broke up a Mahomes pass intended for wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. Pete Sweeney june 11, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026 Law enforcement broke up emotional swells from people on both sides. Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 10 June 2026 The pair officially broke up for the first time in January 2004 and remained friendly in between. Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026 Hoyos also praised defensive midfielder Yannick Bright, who broke up countless Cincinnati plays, stole passes and sent the ball into the attack time and time again. Miami Herald, 14 May 2026 The former couple broke up in 2018. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 7 May 2026 By then, the Golden Knights recovered and broke up the play, and the Ducks never even got a shot on goal. Eric Stephens, New York Times, 5 May 2026 Joyce broke up Kiefer’s outs streak with a single down the first base line and Ryan singled to put runners on first and second with no outs. Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026 Four people were wounded in a shooting at the park in Arden Arcade, where several hundred people had gathered as law enforcement broke up the crowd. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke up
Verb
  • In 2012, the commission was incorporated into the Tourism Authority and disbanded during severe budget cuts.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
  • Many of the top leaders are gone, and the office’s advisory committee has also been disbanded.
    O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • The catcher was hitless in his previous 30 at-bats before connecting for his first homer this season Saturday night, a two-run shot in the seventh inning of a 3-2 win that stopped San Diego's six-game losing streak.
    CBS New York Team, CBS News, 8 June 2026
  • In Pixar’s Cars, the Cozy Cone Motel was inspired by the Blue Swallow Motel, and Bob Dylan even stopped to paint it around 2019.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • When India was partitioned, Punjab was divided into two, leaving the Sikh community in economic distress with immense loss of land and wealth.
    Akash Pamarthy, NPR, 6 June 2026
  • The complication is that the trend has raced ahead of the research, and the research itself is divided.
    Allison Palmer June 4, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Three members of Marshall’s family cracked a bottle of Champagne against the hull of the 746-foot USNS Thurgood Marshall, eliciting cheers at the very moment sunlight broke through the marine layer.
    Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
  • Rafael Devers cracked a solo shot in the sixth and Matt Chapman hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in top of the ninth to put the Giants ahead 2-1, but their three game-win streak ended.
    CBS News, CBS News, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • Bolt Threads ceased production of its Mylo leather alternative in 2023, after failing to secure enough funding to reach commercial scale.
    Bella Webb, Vogue, 11 June 2026
  • But when the exhilaration of change had ceased, London was no good.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Major ash-producing eruptions have repeatedly disrupted life across the region and can affect areas far beyond the immediate danger zone.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026
  • The department said current emergency notification systems rely on cellular devices, radio signals, electrical connectivity and power, all of which can be disrupted by heavy smoke, power outages or damage to communication infrastructure during an emergency.
    Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • For four hours, the group of artists laughed, drank, and debated their position in the rapidly shifting cultural landscape.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 9 June 2026
  • Rudd said as the late-night audience laughed.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • Even as borders have changed and countries dissolved over the past century, the World Cup has persevered.
    Carlie Procell, USA Today, 9 June 2026
  • As a person ambles around a sculpture, perspectives multiply; interpretations are born and dissolved; shadows play on the surface and complicate the interpretive field, making hair look like spaghetti or a nostril look angry.
    Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Broke up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20up. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

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