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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov broke up the play, however, leading to a corner.
—
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
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
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
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
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
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
-
The city and a group of taxpayers for years squabbled in court over whether the government had the right to enter into a contract with the Friends, which ultimately disbanded before the zoo opened in Griffith Park in 1966.
-
This group, along with a number of others dedicated to examining and addressing inequities in the military, has been disbanded.
Verb
-
While the bus is stopped, Daniel takes his silly ass bowling alone, the ultimate loneliness shorthand.
-
The 28-year-old from Norway, seeking his eighth PGA Tour win, made three more bogeys, and three birdies, to sit two strokes behind Scheffler when play was stopped.
Verb
-
Nigeria is largely divided between Christians in the south and Muslims in the north.
-
The technology’s build-out, included planned pipelines, has sparked backlash in rural Louisiana communities and divided the state GOP.
Verb
-
In the month since the crisis, residents in the surrounding area have continued to voice their displeasure with GKN Aerospace and the risk placed outside of their homes after the tank cracked.
-
The concrete is cracked from decades of Delta heat and the weight of cars parked on top of it.
Verb
-
While nearly 3,500 newspapers have ceased publication during the new millennium, the Daily Herald is nonetheless joining a growing chain in a shrinking industry.
-
Serious headwinds Last July, months after construction at the site ceased, giving way to 4-foot-tall weeds, Bryant said that although the company had raised $9 million from investors, the project ran into serious headwinds.
Verb
-
Meanwhile, its medium-range drones have also disrupted Russia’s supply lines to the front, and its long-range strikes have increasingly damaged Russian oil facilities that provide vital revenue for the Kremlin’s war effort.
-
Record heat has disrupted schools and transportation networks and forced some tourist attractions, including the Eiffel Tower, to close.
Verb
-
Her family proudly captured the moment at graduation the next week, as her classmates laughed and cheered along, based on footage shared with the AJC.
-
Some fans booed, but Clark laughed it off.
Verb
-
The government is required to allot 90 days between the dissolution of the Knesset and the election, so the latest possible day the parliament can be dissolved is July 29.
-
Directed by Son Jae-gon and starring Gang Dong-won, Uhm Tae-goo, and Park Ji-hyun, the film tracks a faded first-generation K-pop co-ed dance trio making a reckless attempt to stage a comeback two decades after a plagiarism scandal dissolved their careers.
Cite this Entry
“Broke up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broke%20up. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
