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break up
/breɪk ʌp/◆phrasal verb
to end a romantic relationship
They decided to break up after years of dating.
They ended their romantic relationship.
informal
to end a romantic relationship
After many arguments, they finally broke up.
They ended their relationship after frequent disagreements.
Commonly used in informal contexts to describe the termination of a romantic partnership.
general
to separate into smaller pieces or parts
The rock broke up into smaller fragments.
The rock split into smaller pieces.
Used literally to describe physical separation.
informal
to disrupt a gathering or event
The police broke up the protest to restore order.
The police dispersed the protest to maintain peace.
Often used in contexts involving law enforcement or crowd control.
Collocations
break up withto end a relationship with someonebreak up a fightto stop a physical altercation
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
The meaning of 'break up' changes based on context. Pay attention to the surrounding words to determine the correct interpretation.
Gold Rule
Romantic vs. Physical
In romantic contexts, 'break up' means ending a relationship. In physical contexts, it means separating into parts.
Word Origin
The phrase combines the verb 'break' (to separate) and the preposition 'up' (into parts), reflecting the action of dividing or ending something.
Usage Notes
The meaning depends heavily on context. In romantic contexts, it refers to ending a relationship, while in physical contexts, it refers to separating objects.
Word Breakdown
break
to separate or divide
rootup
into parts or pieces
prepositionEnglish Dictionary