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
Researchers also found that breaking up blocks of being sedentary with movement can reduce the risk — and vigorous exercise isn’t required.
—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
The bag provided the only real contrast in the outfit, breaking up the sea of black without disrupting its clean, minimalist feel.
—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
The car enters the Holland Tunnel and the video connection is breaking up, but the audio is still holding.
—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Lee’s Summit Downtown Days In Lee’s Summit, police spent nearly two hours breaking up a series of incidents and disturbances involving teenagers at the city’s Downtown Days festival Saturday night.
—
Ben Wheeler
june 9,
Kansas City Star,
9 June 2026
Police arrested 25 people and recovered 52 chickens while breaking up an active cockfight in Delaware County over the weekend.
—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
3 July 2026
The bag provided the only real contrast in the outfit, breaking up the sea of black without disrupting its clean, minimalist feel.
—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
The car enters the Holland Tunnel and the video connection is breaking up, but the audio is still holding.
—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Lee’s Summit Downtown Days In Lee’s Summit, police spent nearly two hours breaking up a series of incidents and disturbances involving teenagers at the city’s Downtown Days festival Saturday night.
—
Ben Wheeler
june 9,
Kansas City Star,
9 June 2026
Police arrested 25 people and recovered 52 chickens while breaking up an active cockfight in Delaware County over the weekend.
—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for breaking up
Verb
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Trump has mused to friends and advisers about disbanding the office, which has never really fulfilled the vision that Congress laid out for it two decades ago, after the 9/11 attacks.
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In 2021, more than 43% of voters supported disbanding the department as the city reeled from Floyd’s killing and the massive protests and widespread rioting that followed.
Verb
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In its latest half-year earnings, published May 21, EasyJet reported a pre-tax loss of £552 million for the six months ending March 31, despite a 12% jump in half-year revenues to £4 billion, warning of price rises and slower bookings.
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Efraín Juárez, then the coach of Pumas, was asked about the possibility of his team ending a long title drought.
Verb
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The one-time 5% tax on the state’s billionaires has rocked Sacramento in recent months, sharply dividing Democrats and splintering labor coalitions.
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According to Steele, the bankruptcy trustee is now dividing the company’s assets, and the Cooper residents will likely only recover a small amount from the electric company.
Verb
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What beef tallow is and how it’s made Beef tallow is a white, shelf-stable cooking fat made by rendering — or melting down — the fatty tissue that surrounds a cow’s organs, according to Michelle Crouch at AARP.
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Practice non-reaction This can feel counterintuitive, but sometimes the best strategy is to take a pause and not immediately react or intervene when your child is melting down.
Verb
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Technology led to the suspect's arrest Officers obtained doorbell camera footage, which showed a silver SUV stopping along a curb on Majors Choice Drive.
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Its compact size and functional interior and exterior pockets will make zipping through airport security or stopping for gas on road trips a breeze — no more digging through disorganized totes to locate your wallet and phone.
Verb
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Researchers have identified hormone-disrupting and asthma-associated chemicals in some consumer products and continue to investigate combinations of chemicals that may warrant closer testing.
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Its tendency to rapidly reproduce, forming dense colonies on underwater surfaces, can clog pipes, pumps and critical water infrastructure while disrupting local ecosystems.
Verb
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There are companies creating life-like avatars that can fill in for you in virtual meetings, nodding at the right time and laughing when someone tells a joke.
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On April 24, 2022, the model shared a cute candid of themselves on Instagram, leaning into one another and laughing.
Verb
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Thanks to the determination of these and many other communities, the bonds of empire began dissolving well before July 4, 1776.
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Impeaching judges, sterilizing foreign visitors, dissolving the union – some prominent conservatives suggested extreme measures could be called for in the wake of a Supreme Court decision upholding birthright citizenship.
Cite this Entry
“Breaking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/breaking%20up. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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