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 ended
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 separated
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 stopped
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 broken
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 giggled
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
as in divided
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of broken up
Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Children and teens may receive multiple vaccines before adulthood; these are often broken up into multiple doses.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025
Magbanua testified that after the undercover agent approached Donna, Charles called her frantically about the situation even though they’d been long broken up.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
Make sure that any hard areas have been broken up to allow the roots to settle in and spread.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
The Glass Fire’s burn scar has broken up what would have been continuous fuel beds in some areas, according to Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit spokesperson Jason Clay.
—The Press Democrat, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2025
Due to the technical limitations of the time, MGS3 and its predecessors built sprawling worlds that can often be retraced but are broken up at every turn.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
However, the relationship was short-lived as Us Weekly reported in 2016 that the two had broken up.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 22 Aug. 2025
My gamble paid off because the shed took me and my 6-year-old son about eight hours to build — broken up into a few days — with the only headaches in the process caused by one simple mistake.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Williams also then confirmed that despite her recently releasing a new solo album — Ego Death at a Bachelorette — the band is not broken up.
—Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Children and teens may receive multiple vaccines before adulthood; these are often broken up into multiple doses.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025
Magbanua testified that after the undercover agent approached Donna, Charles called her frantically about the situation even though they’d been long broken up.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2025
Make sure that any hard areas have been broken up to allow the roots to settle in and spread.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
The Glass Fire’s burn scar has broken up what would have been continuous fuel beds in some areas, according to Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit spokesperson Jason Clay.
—The Press Democrat, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2025
Due to the technical limitations of the time, MGS3 and its predecessors built sprawling worlds that can often be retraced but are broken up at every turn.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
However, the relationship was short-lived as Us Weekly reported in 2016 that the two had broken up.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 22 Aug. 2025
My gamble paid off because the shed took me and my 6-year-old son about eight hours to build — broken up into a few days — with the only headaches in the process caused by one simple mistake.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken up
Verb
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When season 13 begins, Voight's (Jason Beghe) team is still disbanded following the death of Reid (Shawn Hatosy).—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Recent efforts to combat disinformation, including the State Department’s Global Engagement Center and the Department of Homeland Security’s Disinformation Governance Board, have been disbanded.—
Jill Goldenziel,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Milan’s fifth triumph in 1994 put them one behind the Spanish side, but this ended when Madrid picked up their seventh crown in 1998 and remains the closest anybody has got to them.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Billy Williams ended a streak of playing in 1,117 consecutive games.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Though, with modular parts, the arms and seats can be separated to make moving easier.—
Zoë Sessums,
Architectural Digest,
4 Sep. 2025
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The two, who share three children, separated in July 2021 and finalized their divorce in September 2022.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But often, someone cracked the door and a conversation started.—
David Rodriguez Muñoz,
Freep.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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However, thanks to the sharpest images yet from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), researchers have finally cracked part of this puzzle.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When asked why all shoppers didn’t get the notice, an Amazon spokesperson said the notice was sent to customers who registered for the Prime Invitee Program between the program's launch in 2009 and 2015, when the program stopped accepting new members.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Providence is on a mission after being stopped two years in a row in the supersectional round.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Sinner has been broken four times, Alcaraz twice.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Dig up the entire clump and remove dead or broken roots.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some of the guys smiled and giggled throughout her introduction, which stoked plenty of ire from viewers online.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
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Two teen-age girls, joining a crowd trailing him, giggled and teared up.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Our country is more divided than ever.—
Erica Mosca,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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Compartment formula dispensers also have several chambers to prepare more than one bottle but look like a large divided container rather than a stackable dispenser.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Broken up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broken%20up. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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