1
as in to disband
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 to stop
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 to divide
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 to crack
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 to cease
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 to disrupt
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 to laugh
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 split
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces
the breakup of the Soviet Union and the collapse of communism pretty much signaled the end of the Cold War
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 break up
Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The traditional bodybuilding protocol has been to start with a loading dose—usually 20 grams per day, broken up into four 5-gram doses, for a week—to quickly saturate muscles.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 28 May 2025
Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 May 2025
The continent could trigger the breakup of the alliance just by talking about it, prompting Trump’s anger and a sudden U.S. withdrawal.
—Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
This season, the 18 queens have been broken up into three groups of six.
—Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The traditional bodybuilding protocol has been to start with a loading dose—usually 20 grams per day, broken up into four 5-gram doses, for a week—to quickly saturate muscles.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 28 May 2025
Noun
And the company gave up hope of a soft splashdown for the vehicle, instead becoming resigned to a breakup over the Indian Ocean during Ship's reentry.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 May 2025
The continent could trigger the breakup of the alliance just by talking about it, prompting Trump’s anger and a sudden U.S. withdrawal.
—Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
-
The administration is disbanding a Justice Department unit that pursues civil and criminal actions against companies that sell contaminated food and is reassigning its attorneys.—
Stephanie Armour,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
-
As part of a 2025 legal settlement, the district agreed to suspend the courses, disband its curriculum committee, and sever ties with the consultants.—
Tammi Rossman Benjamin,
Oc Register,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
On September 2, Border Force officers had stopped two women at London Stansted Airport.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
This move did not stop at regulation but was backed by public education campaigns and investment in local businesses producing biodegradable alternatives.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
Fallout from President Trump’s break with Elon Musk is roiling a Republican Party that was already divided over the fate of the president’s landmark legislation.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
-
Model parallelism divides the neural network itself across hardware.—
Jitender Jain,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Once it’s done baking, slightly open your oven to release the steam and allow the cake to adjust to room temperature before setting in the fridge, ensuring your cheesecake doesn’t dry out or crack in the process.—
Sam Settleman,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
-
The men beat 27-year-old Chin with a baseball bat, cracking his skull.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
Yet, for some time now, there has been a third movement that tends to be articulated more in art than elsewhere, even if elsewhere there has long since ceased to be any alternative.—
Diedrich Diederichsen,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
-
The mayor also said that late-night establishments and all nightclubs must cease operations at midnight.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
The earthquake disrupted the World Series and damaged the Bay Bridge, Oakland’s Cypress Freeway, and swaths of San Francisco.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
-
The cuts will disrupt ongoing research, ruin experiments and datasets, destroy the careers of aspiring scientists, and deter long-term investments at universities across the country.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Carney almost laughed at the notion that young audiences, especially internationally, particularly care about the market size of the NBA Finalists.—
Howard Homonoff,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
Carrington laughed with teammate Marina Mabrey after the incident.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
For instance, if the cost of a service is $1,000, and the state and federal government split is 50-50, the state might add a 5% provider tax that would bring the total cost of the service to $1,050.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
29 May 2025
-
The former couple split 11 months after welcoming their baby girl in October 2000.—
Jen Juneau,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share