1
as in disbanding
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 ending
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 dividing
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 losing it
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 stopping
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 disrupting
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 laughing
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of breaking up
On a balcony, this looks like breaking up the lineup by alternating hanging planters with those on the ground.
—
Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Apr. 2026
The show opens with a couple, Dan (Mike Mitchell) and Dana (Plaza), breaking up and their cat, Kevin (Jason Schwartzman), deciding he’s done with both humans and will find his own way in the world.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Leading up to rehab, post-hysterectomy and just before officially breaking up with Antonoff, Dunham reconnected with a childhood boyfriend, Nick.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Demonstrations took place in several cities across Israel over the weekend, with police breaking up a large gathering in Tel Aviv.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 5 Apr. 2026
Images taken by Reuters show Israeli security forces breaking up the demonstrations in the city’s Habima Square.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
As the party was breaking up, officers reported hearing multiple gunshots near the home.
—Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
The room begins to feel fragmented, with too many edges breaking up the sightline.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, in the early 1900s, people feared broadcast radio would wrinkle their skin, dry up the sky, and even cause flooding by breaking up clouds.
—Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 3 Mar. 2026
Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Apr. 2026
The show opens with a couple, Dan (Mike Mitchell) and Dana (Plaza), breaking up and their cat, Kevin (Jason Schwartzman), deciding he’s done with both humans and will find his own way in the world.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Leading up to rehab, post-hysterectomy and just before officially breaking up with Antonoff, Dunham reconnected with a childhood boyfriend, Nick.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Demonstrations took place in several cities across Israel over the weekend, with police breaking up a large gathering in Tel Aviv.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 5 Apr. 2026
Images taken by Reuters show Israeli security forces breaking up the demonstrations in the city’s Habima Square.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
As the party was breaking up, officers reported hearing multiple gunshots near the home.
—Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
The room begins to feel fragmented, with too many edges breaking up the sightline.
—Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, in the early 1900s, people feared broadcast radio would wrinkle their skin, dry up the sky, and even cause flooding by breaking up clouds.
—Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking up
Verb
-
The Sequence became the first female hip-hop act to sign with Sugar Hill Records and released three albums before disbanding in 1985.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
8 Apr. 2026
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The group released seven studio albums between 1985 and 2011 before disbanding in 2014 after Spinks died of liver cancer, followed by Lewis’ death in 2020.—
Annie Harrigan,
Billboard,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Nats then went to the bullpen, ending his night at eight runs (four earned) on five hits over 4 2/3 innings.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But it was retrieved and Oaks Christian’s runner was tagged out at the plate trying to score, ending the game.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The University of Massachusetts poll, fielded among 1,000 Americans, found 74% believe there are more things uniting them than dividing them.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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Michelle Boudreau Design mixed a white dividing wall with hedges that don't block the view of palm trees in this desert backyard.—
Kristin Hohenadel,
The Spruce,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That led many to believe that, while treatments and crisis care are vital, the goal of suicide prevention needs to expand beyond stopping people from dying to also giving them reasons to live.—
Aneri Pattani,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Bain walked purposefully, never slowing, never stopping — not even to size himself up in his new Bucs hat in the mirror — before striding onstage for a hug with the commissioner.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Treasury has issued sanctions on more than 1,000 targets since 2025 under the current maximum pressure campaign, the official said, aimed at disrupting Iran’s oil trade and financial networks.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Members of both chambers seemed to enjoy his 20-minute address, listening intently and laughing at the monarch’s jokes and giving him standing ovations.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
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Lucy Liu is spotted laughing on the set of Superfakes in Madison Square Park in New York City on April 27.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Instead of dissolving them with chemicals, Ecco and Spinnova mechanically turn these scraps into textile fibers.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Clavicular allegedly injected teen with 'fat-dissolving' drug Six months after their first encounter, Mendoza allegedly ran into Clavicular while attending a networking event in Miami with friends, per court documents.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In fact, historically, spending 5% on an at-the-money call option expiring in two weeks would have resulted in a loss overall.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
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If the latest investigations produce new tariffs in time to replace the expiring Section 122 levies, the process will have taken less than half that long.—
Paul Wiseman,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Breaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20up. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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