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
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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for broken up
Adjective
  • Democratic wins for governor in November could bring divided power to Alaska, Ohio, Georgia, Florida and Texas.
    — Kevin Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The stoneware dishes, with their childlike design, candy-colored glazes, and divided compartments, might jog formative memories of Montessori sorting trays or vintage TV dinners.
    — Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • By 2002, the group had disbanded, but some of its members founded TOOOL and went on to launch yearly lock-picking competitions.
    — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
  • On immigration, Jackson referenced the fatal ICE shooting in Biddeford, Maine, earlier this year and called for ICE to be disbanded and for funding to be redirected to Customs and Border Protection.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Both were on full display on Sunday during, and then after, the Jets' victory over the Cleveland Browns that ended a three-game losing skid for the Jets and ended a three-game win streak for the Browns.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The rising 200-day at $139 sits just above it, and that's where buyers ended the selloff after the August breakout failed.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The trajectories separated into four distinct clusters corresponding to rest, meditation, music, and the movie.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In what is shaping up to be the season’s most competitive acting race, three names appear to have separated themselves.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In the kitchen area, floor tiles were cracked and an unused pipe hole is uncovered.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The back-to-back successes of Obsession and Backrooms have cracked Hollywood’s spine like a One-Wish Willow, sending producers into an online feeding frenzy.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Bruins forced seven turnovers and stopped Oregon’s late two-point try at the one-yard line, preserving a signature victory that strengthened UCLA’s playoff case.
    — Elias Esquivel, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • In 2009, armed men stopped a convoy of civilians, relatives, lawyers and journalists heading to submit election filings in Maguindanao and killed 58 people, at least 32 of them journalists and media workers.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Nearby, elite engineering school Mines Paris was also disrupted by blockades.
    — Makini Brice, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Gone are the four nations, corresponding to the elements, who coexisted in harmony that was disrupted and then, episode by episode, restored.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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