broken up 1 of 2

broken up

2 of 2

verb

past participle 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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
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
6
7

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 broken up
Verb
Defensive tackle Will Echoles consistently disrupted the Missouri offensive front for five tackles, two broken up passes, one sack and one quarterback hurry. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 To give the episodes shape, each is broken up into several mini-narratives, such as a mother cheetah learning to adapt her hunting style to mountainous rocky terrain in order to catch prey for her hungry cubs. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 4 Oct. 2026 And in all that time, according to STATS, not a single no-hitter has been broken up on a triple by a catcher — in the eighth inning or later, regular season or postseason. — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Over time, these rocks are fragmented and broken up into small mineral particles by plant roots forcing open cracks, or lichens secreting chemicals that dissolve rocks to release nutrients. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 In an August 2026 census of both red and blue dots broken up into different eras, Kocevski of Colby College and his collaborators found exactly that pattern. — Quanta Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026 MomTok has convened at Jen’s because Taylor has allegedly broken up with Dakota for good. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 Peli and the girlfriend who lived with him had broken up, and Staci visited the house after the film’s release. — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 During the same period, Justin Fields had a pass intended for wide receiver Jason Brownlee broken up by cornerback D’Arco Perkins-McAllister. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken up
Adjective
  • Historically, stocks have performed well under divided government.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Panera customers on Reddit were somewhat divided in their opinions about the spinach, avocado and egg white sandwich.
    — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • That summer, more than a dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents signed a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, calling for the agency to be disbanded.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The association disbanded after several deaths and resignations, according to Lewis.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Mitchell ended the night with 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 shooting on threes and seven assists.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
  • That ended a 144-minute scoreless streak for Angel City keeper Angelina Anderson.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Native children were often separated from their families and communities through boarding schools, where they were discouraged or prevented from speaking their Native languages and practicing their cultures.
    — Conor McGill, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • During his imprisonment, al-Sakani was separated from his wife, Iman, and their 3-year-old daughter, Misk.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Denver also cracked the top 10 for having some of the nicest residents in the country, a category otherwise dominated by Southern cities like Charlotte and Nashville.
    — Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Following midterm losses, Miller may also be tasked with trying to reunite the coalition that backed Trump in 2024 but cracked in the midterms, to prevent further MAGA defections down the line.
    — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Corey Perry and Alex Laferriere scored and Darcy Kuemper stopped only 14 shots for the Kings, who have lost two of the last three during their seven-game homestand.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Corey Perry and Alex Laferriere scored and Darcy Kuemper stopped only 14 shots for the Kings (5-8-2), who have lost two of the last three during their seven-game homestand.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Baharoon said the rise of AI could produce an economic transformation comparable to previous industrial revolutions, creating new industries and opportunities even as existing professions are disrupted.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Evander Holyfield regains the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships from Riddick Bowe in a fight disrupted by a parachutist.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The two giggled momentarily before Quiñonez turned back and answered candidly.
    — Jake McCreven, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Brandy and Goldberg smiled and giggled throughout the entire show, full of joy as the models twirled and commanded the runway in pieces ranging from cocktail dresses to red carpet-worthy gowns.
    — Anika Reed, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Broken up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/broken%20up. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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