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 The open-air format also broke up the usual audience structure. Yook Jihun, Popular Science, 26 Mar. 2026 His girlfriend broke up with him. Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026 The pair ended the show engaged but broke up in October 2021. Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 25 Mar. 2026 The grey added dimension and broke up the look in the best way. Mecca Pryor, Essence, 17 Mar. 2026 Married Zack Goytowski and Bliss Poureetezadi had one of the stranger journeys on Love Is Blind, mainly because Zack initially broke up with Bliss in favor of Irina Solomonova, who proved herself to be perhaps the meanest contestant in the show's history. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 Kylie broke up with Scott in the fall of 2019, spent quarantine with him to co-parent Stormi, recoupled in mid-2021, and welcomed Aire in February 2022, all before breaking up for good around the holidays. Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Mar. 2026 Last year in Tennessee, Baker made 55 tackles and broke up seven passes without an interception in his 10 starts. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026 During four seasons with the Chiefs, McDuffie forced eight fumbles, three interceptions and broke up 34 passes. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke up
Verb
  • The franchise disbanded after the 2008 season.
    Doug Feinberg, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The franchise disbanded after the 2008 season.
    Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • His words were underscored when police in Israel stopped Catholic leaders from celebrating a private Palm Sunday Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, built on the spot where Jesus was thought to have been crucified.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Right away, the Bruins allowed point-blank chances to Zach Werenski and Boone Jenner in the opening minutes that Swayman stopped.
    Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate find themselves at a familiar impasse, bitterly divided over which approach to take.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
  • That’s leaving defense tech firms divided over whether to hike capacity to win deals and risk profitability, or hold off and potentially miss opportunities.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Running from 2005 through 2013 for a total of nine seasons, the sitcom just cracked 200 episodes, following the hapless and offbeat employees at a fictional paper company.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The series traded on the glamorous sheen of their mythos but never cracked below it.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Political and police harassment hasn’t ceased.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The company ceased operations in 2018.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The strikes temporarily disrupted the spacecraft’s electrical systems, but quick action by mission control kept the mission on track.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • But oil bound for Asia from this new exit point still has to pass through Bab el-Mandeb to avoid the long way around, meaning it could be disrupted.
    Flavio Macau, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • When Bradford delivered the detail about the sandwich, the board and attendees laughed and shook their heads.
    Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
  • LaMorie laughed and walked toward the officers.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Morton kosher salt, and ¼ cup heavy cream in a large bowl until pudding mix is dissolved and mixture is smooth.
    Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The company has since been dissolved, according to the Idaho Secretary of State business database.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 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 2 Apr. 2026.

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