Definitions

break up

VERB

end relationship, activity

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adjourn disband dismantle disperse disrupt dissolve divide halt put an end to separate split stop suspend terminate

WEAK

disassemble divorce end part scatter sever sunder take apart

Antonyms

STRONGEST

arrange assemble begin collect combine continue encourage gather go join marry open put together start unite

WEAK

reconcile

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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break up

Powerful winds break up the ice cover, causing individual floes to move, drift, and collide with one another.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

Blown away in a 26-minute opening set, fourth seed Gauff was twice pegged back from a break up in a scrappy second set before coming through a 16-point tie-break to force a decider.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Bell has wanted to break up the domination of Garfield in the Eastern League, so why not get all the school’s top athletes to help?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

A court ruled that the Google parent didn’t have to break up its ad-tech business.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Although he had planned to stay at Grytviken only a short while, the Boss decided to wait one or two weeks longer for the warm weather to break up the ice.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

break up

Example Sentences

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