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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of break up
Emy Lacroix, People.com, 21 Feb. 2025
If your attention span feels ridiculously short these days, books broken up into smaller chunks are ideal.
—Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 21 Feb. 2025
Lena Surzhko Harned, The Conversation, 19 Feb. 2025
However, Jim argues the stock should work since the upcoming breakup should create three better-run companies.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Verb
The pair broke up after welcoming their only child together — a son named Weston Coppola Cage, born on Dec. 26, 1990.
—Emy Lacroix, People.com, 21 Feb. 2025
If your attention span feels ridiculously short these days, books broken up into smaller chunks are ideal.
—Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
Russia has since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 employed its substantial resources to influence Ukraine’s politics through all available means, ranging from propaganda, economic pressures and incentives to energy blackmail, threats and use of violence.
—Lena Surzhko Harned, The Conversation, 19 Feb. 2025
However, Jim argues the stock should work since the upcoming breakup should create three better-run companies.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for break up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for break up
Verb
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The Houston Comets won the first four WNBA titles before the franchise disbanded in 2008.—
Doug Feinberg,
Hartford Courant,
21 Feb. 2025
-
President is expected to as soon as this week, according to reports, disbanding the agency's governing board and absorbing the 250-year-old mail provider into his administration.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
Newsweek,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The news continues to appear bad for LIT, yet the fund has stopped slumping.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Often, women would wear the same watch for years, so why did the younger generations ever stop?—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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For decades afterward and until the advent of internet telephony, Druze families divided by the armistice lines who wanted to communicate with one another did so via megaphone in an area that came to be known as Shouting Hill.—
Uriel Heilman,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2025
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Primary care has long been associated with the image of a busy doctor, divided between patients and the administrative grind.—
Stephen Wunker,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Racial prejudice presented the Chicago Woman’s Club with a tougher nut to crack.—
Ron Grossman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
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Mulching tomatoes is very important to provide even moisture and prevent fruit from cracking.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The program ended in the early 1960s after a member of the CIA Inspector General's staff learned of MKUltra's experiments and ordered them to cease all experimentation on non-consenting subjects.—
Jessica Sager,
People.com,
8 Mar. 2025
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On Thursday, the university, a historically Black institution, ordered the fraternity chapter to cease all activities and suspended pledging for all Greek organizations for the rest of the academic year.—
Neil Vigdor,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Early on, Democratic Representative Al Green was escorted out of the House chamber after disrupting Trump’s speech by shouting and shaking his cane in the air.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
WWD,
5 Mar. 2025
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The right-wing House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday issued a threat to try to censure any Democratic lawmakers or guests who disrupt President Trump's speech to Congress.—
Andrew Solender,
Axios,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Surrounding the headliners are grumpy arena security, who spend the night wearing baffled expressions watching a sea of adults cheer and laugh and applaud over imaginary characters engaged in battles no one can actually see, and rolls of acrylic dice just 16 millimeters in size.—
Eric Francisco,
Rolling Stone,
1 Mar. 2025
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Vivienne appeared to be having fun with her friend, as she was pictured laughing and sticking her tongue out.—
Effie Orfanides,
Newsweek,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The announcement of the unexpected split comes after Michelin had already begun work on the tires for the 2027 season, the year when MotoGP enters a new era of regulations with a move to 850cc engines.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
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The split among Democrats in how to respond to President Donald Trump mirrors the greater internal divide in a party that is still trying to find its footing facing.—
Austin Denean,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to break up
Cite this Entry
“Break up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/break%20up. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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