break up

What does "break up" mean?

1. To end a romantic relationship
2. To separate into smaller pieces or parts
3. To disperse a group or crowd
4. To stop a fight or argument

Examples

• They broke up after dating for five years.
• The ice is starting to break up on the lake.
• Police arrived to break up the protest.
• The teacher had to break up a fight between two students.
• The band broke up in 2010 but reunited last year.

How to use it

'Break up' is the standard term for ending romantic relationships. 'Breakup' (noun) refers to the act of ending a relationship. Also common for schools: 'When do you break up for summer?'

Word order

For ending relationships: not separable ('They broke up'). For dispersing: separable ('break the crowd up' or 'break up the crowd').

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• break down

  To stop working or functioning (machines, vehicles)

• break out

  To start suddenly (war, fire, disease, fighting)

• break into

  To enter a building illegally by force

• break in

  To enter a building illegally, usually by force

• break through

  To force a way through a barrier or obstacle

• break off

  To separate a piece from something by breaking