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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stopped
to come to an end
the meeting broke up when all the business for the day had been completed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in divided
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
5
as in ceased
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 disrupted
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 laughed
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of broke up
Midnight Oil broke up in 2002 when singer Peter Garrett left to pursue a political career in Australia’s Labor Party.
—
Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Roope Hintz broke up Dostál’s shutout in the dying embers.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
After The Beatles broke up in 1970, Paul McCartney released two solo albums, but then sought to get back into a band setting.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 14 Jan. 2026
Antoine was called for a pass interference during Mississippi’s late TD drive but also broke up a pass that could have been a first down.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
In 2024, officials broke up a multistate trafficking operation based on the Crow reservation that distributed drugs to other Montana reservations.
—Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
Kelce and Nicole, 34, broke up multiple times throughout their five years together, and made several public comments and back-and-forths about each other on social media and in interviews over the years.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
The White Stripes broke up almost 15 years ago, but discussions of Meg’s drumming are still taking place.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2025
Drop Nineteens broke up in 1995 and reunited in 2022.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Roope Hintz broke up Dostál’s shutout in the dying embers.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 14 Jan. 2026
After The Beatles broke up in 1970, Paul McCartney released two solo albums, but then sought to get back into a band setting.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 14 Jan. 2026
Antoine was called for a pass interference during Mississippi’s late TD drive but also broke up a pass that could have been a first down.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
In 2024, officials broke up a multistate trafficking operation based on the Crow reservation that distributed drugs to other Montana reservations.
—Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
Kelce and Nicole, 34, broke up multiple times throughout their five years together, and made several public comments and back-and-forths about each other on social media and in interviews over the years.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
The White Stripes broke up almost 15 years ago, but discussions of Meg’s drumming are still taking place.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2025
Drop Nineteens broke up in 1995 and reunited in 2022.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broke up
Verb
-
On February 25, 1986, after four days of protests along Manila’s Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the Marcoses jetted to exile in Hawaii, and the barangay militias disbanded.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Ross, who was one of several federal agents involved in the arrest, initially drew his service weapon, but holstered the gun after Muñoz-Guatemala stopped his car and raised his hands, according to the affidavit.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Braddy stopped the car, got Quantisha back inside, and put Shandelle in the trunk, before driving for 30 to 45 minutes.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Best Score was divided between musicals and dramas, and some craft categories between black-and-white and color, so there was no way a film could have been nominated for everything.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The company spent three days last week building the final version of the structure, which is divided into sections on rails so it can be assembled and taken apart without doing so over the rink itself.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Earlier in the night, host Nikki Glaser cracked a joke about the show's hype.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Host Nikki Glaser cracked jokes about a range of political topics during her opening monologue, from the Jeffrey Epstein files to controversy surrounding CBS News.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Then all movement ceased and he was pronounced dead 22 minutes later.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The lawsuit effectively shut down GARM, which ceased operations citing limited resources to fight the legal battle.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
American said Monday that five of its nine hub airports were disrupted by the storm, including its largest hub at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.—
Laya Neelakandan,Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
-
If your travel is or was disrupted, here’s what airlines owe you for the inconvenience.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While none of the Alexanders appeared to crack any smiles, Agnifilo laughed along gamely when the judge and prospective jurors exchanged jokes to lighten a tense mood.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
27 Jan. 2026
-
During their visit to the working handweaving studio, the Princess of Wales laughed and placed a hand on her husband's arm.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cook syrup just until sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds; immediately remove pot from heat and let cool.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Rainfall, irrigation and drainage can transport phosphorus – either dissolved in water or attached to eroded soil particles – into nearby canals, streams, rivers and lakes.—
Dinesh Phuyal,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Broke up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20up. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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