Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Break up

noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative form of breakup. alt-of, alternative
Verb
  1. 1
    To break or separate into pieces. transitive

    "Break up the cheese and put it in the salad."

  2. 2
    laugh unrestrainedly wordnet
  3. 3
    To break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart. intransitive

    "It broke up when it hit the ground."

  4. 4
    separate (substances) into constituent elements or parts wordnet
  5. 5
    To upset greatly; to cause great emotional disturbance or unhappiness in. transitive

    ""I remember his wail at the meeting, which began: 'In fifty years experience of scientific intercourse----' It quite broke the old man up.""

Show 26 more definitions
  1. 6
    cause to separate wordnet
  2. 7
    To end a (usually romantic or sexual) relationship. idiomatic, intransitive

    "She broke up with her boyfriend last week."

  3. 8
    break or cause to break into pieces wordnet
  4. 9
    To end a (usually romantic or sexual) relationship with each other. intransitive, reciprocal

    "Jane and Stephen broke up."

  5. 10
    come to an end (of a state) wordnet
  6. 11
    To dissolve; to part. idiomatic, intransitive

    "The meeting finally broke up after a three-hour discussion."

  7. 12
    bring the association of to an end or cause to break up wordnet
  8. 13
    Of a school, to close for the holidays at the end of term. idiomatic, intransitive

    "Once the schools break up for the holidays, children across the country are at a loose end and instances of kids doing stupid things on the railway become far too common."

  9. 14
    close at the end of a session wordnet
  10. 15
    Of a conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection; of a signal, to deteriorate. intransitive

    "You're breaking up. Can you repeat that? Well, it got cut off."

  11. 16
    cause to go into a solution wordnet
  12. 17
    To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting. idiomatic, transitive

    "The police came in to break up the disturbance."

  13. 18
    make a break in wordnet
  14. 19
    To become disorganised. figuratively, idiomatic, intransitive

    "England's superior conditioning began to show in the final quarter and as the game began to break up, their three-quarters began to stamp their authority on the game. And when Foden went on a mazy run from inside his own 22 and put Ashton in for a long-range try, any threat of an upset was when and truly snuffed out."

  15. 20
    release ice wordnet
  16. 21
    To cut or take to pieces for scrap. transitive

    "Ex-Brighton "I4" 4-4-2 tank No. 2034, the last of its class, and "02" 0-4-4 tank No. 214 have been broken up."

  17. 22
    attack with or as if with a pickaxe of ice or rocky ground, for example wordnet
  18. 23
    To be or cause to be overcome with laughter. idiomatic, intransitive, slang, transitive
  19. 24
    set or keep apart wordnet
  20. 25
    break violently or noisily; smash wordnet
  21. 26
    destroy the completeness of a set of related items wordnet
  22. 27
    take apart into its constituent pieces wordnet
  23. 28
    suffer a nervous breakdown wordnet
  24. 29
    disband wordnet
  25. 30
    to cause to separate and go in different directions wordnet
  26. 31
    discontinue an association or relation; go different ways wordnet

See also for "break up"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: breakup