broke up

Definition of broke upnext
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 Miami's Liam Hicks broke up the shutout in the eighth with a two-run homer. CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026 This went viral, and soon after, Iris and Pepe broke up and unfollowed each other on Instagram. Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 16 Apr. 2026 The band broke up in 1999 after Alexander lost interest in performing — one perfect song and out. Ryan Brennan april 8, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026 The band broke up in 2001 but reunited in 2014 — though no subsequent music came close to replicating the song’s chart success. Ryan Brennan april 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026 Last year’s seasonal ozone hole was one of the fifth-smallest since recovery began in 1992 and broke up nearly three weeks earlier than the average over the past decade. Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 Ambrosia broke up in 1982 but reunited in 1989; Pack later left, though the band’s other three founders continued to perform. Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026 Nate, who stormed out of Lexi's play and seemingly broke up with Cassie in the process, makes a shocking decision to turn his dad, Cal Jacobs (Dane), over to the police. Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026 Ambrosia broke up in 1982 and then reunited in 1989 with all four original members. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke up
Verb
  • Last Generation disbanded in January 2025.
    Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The group disbanded after Takeoff was shot and killed in November 2022 following an argument that broke out during a private party at a bowling alley in Houston, police said at the time.
    Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • To encompass the story, about a miracle from 847, when Pope Leo IV stopped a fire with a blessing, Raphael brings you into the fresco through the unshod feet of a woman in agony and leaves you near the very back, with a tiny and serene Leo IV.
    Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • If the game stopped at this point, Fermat’s method for dividing the pot would list all possible outcomes of those five coin flips and then tally the ones that amassed 10 points for each player.
    Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In Budapest ahead of the vote, people were divided on whether Orbán’s long political rule could really come to an end.
    Alexander Smith, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Dining on one popular cruise ship is getting a comfort-food shakeup — and passengers are divided over the change.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As far back as 2019, regulars warned about cracked concrete and damaged retaining walls and gates that could help the dam manage flooding, records show.
    CBS News, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
  • If any of the items are rusted, cracked, or worn out, now is a good time to replace them.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The club ceased operations this year on New Year’s Day after 17 years in business.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Since the automaker ceased production of its popular Dawn model in 2023, its lineup has been missing a convertible.
    Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Now, with missiles intercepted over Gulf capitals and air travel repeatedly disrupted, the long-standing stability of Dubai expat life is being questioned.
    Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The case stems from the September 2024 fire at the BioLab facility, which sent a large plume of smoke into the air, forced more than 17,000 people to evacuate and about 90,000 others to shelter in place, and disrupted nearby businesses and neighborhoods.
    Jamal Goss, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The second time, Lindor laughed as Ohtani blew a 99 mph fastball past him on his 11th and last pitch to end the third.
    CBS News, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • How the audience laughed, the poet assures us.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • How hasn't this family dissolved into chaos like so many other families who argue about politics?
    Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Spread the product, or apply the solution dissolved in water, under the leaf canopy in a band around the entire plant, but not directly over the crown.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 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 22 Apr. 2026.

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