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
Dartmouth drove to the Lehigh 22-yard line on the ensuing possession, but Grayson Saunier's fourth-down pass was broken up. ABC News, 19 Sep. 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 That was broken up by Owens, who stomped Gunther and then caught him with a big clothesline. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 His deepest attempt, for tight end Terrance Ferguson, was broken up by cornerback Cam Lampkin. Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026 Two strong innings by McLean were broken up by a leadoff homer by Kyle Tucker, the outfielder who nearly signed with the Mets until a last-minute decision to sign a free agent contract with the two-time defending World Series champs. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken up
Adjective
  • That power to bring people together is at the heart of what makes the Contest so special, and is even more important now in an increasingly difficult and divided world.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Their already fractured opposition has become even more divided in the country’s south, particularly after a Saudi rift with the United Arab Emirates in late 2025 led the latter to withdraw its support for anti-Houthi forces in the south altogether.
    Mahad D. Darar, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Cal State Northridge — which disbanded its football program in 2001 — came to town and scored a 63-23 blowout win over the Broncos.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 19 Sep. 2026
  • While Congress had disbanded most of the army after peace was signed with Britain in 1783, Washington, as president, ordered additional troops to Ohio to protect the new settlements.
    Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The escalation ended a 2022 ceasefire that largely ended fighting in Yemen's civil war, which started when the Houthis swept in from their mountainous heartland and seized much of northern and central Yemen, including Sanaa, 12 years ago.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The conflict, which ended the following year, claimed over 100,000 lives and contributed to famine in the region.
    Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The thought of being separated from his children haunted Cazares.
    Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • After launch, its booster separated, its wings unfolded, and a small turbofan powered it through sustained low-altitude flight.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Marlins initiated scoring with three runs in the second, Joe Mack’s fielder’s choice scored Jakob Marsee, and Otto Lopez cracked a two-run homer over the left field wall, his 11th of the year.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Sacramento has cracked the top 20 in a list of the top 100 large cities in the United States for the best cup of Joe.
    Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Braden Turner and Ore Adeyi had interceptions, Robert Fitzgerald and Braydon Brus had fumble recoveries and the Northwestern defense stopped Colorado on all three of its fourth-down attempts.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The children left behind have not stopped being hungry, but the system that feeds them was built around a school calendar that runs out in June.
    Tim Grailer, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Improved logistics for Saudi crude exports have reduced the market's assessment of how much supply is at risk, Massabni said, adding that oil prices reflect not just available barrels but also the probability of those supplies being disrupted.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Their fragile relationship is disrupted when Sethu encounters a feral child in the forest and brings him home.
    Ed Meza, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • The dynamic duo giggled and hugged as curious onlookers took out their iPhones and started snapping away.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 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 23 Sep. 2026.

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