break up

NOUN

[/breɪk ʌp/]

to end a romantic relationship

💡 Concept

After months of fighting, they finally decided to break up at the cafe.

🎵 Rhyme

Break up, wake up, then make up your face for a new start

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

Start Free Demo

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/breɪk ʌp/

🇬🇧 UK/breɪk ʌp/

🌳Etymology

Rootbreak

Suffix-up

Origin

From Old English 'brecan' (to break) combined with the preposition 'up', both of Germanic origin. The phrasal verb developed in English to metaphorically describe the dissolution of a relationship.

Breakdown

break (verb: to separate into pieces, from Old English 'brecan') + up (adverb/preposition: indicating separation or completion, from Old English 'upp') = break up (to end or dissolve a relationship)

🎵Rhyme

make upwake upshake up

make up

wake up

shake up

🔗Collocations

break up with someone

break up the party

break up into pieces

break up a fight

break up a monopoly

break up the meeting

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“My phone broke up the romantic dinner when it rang during the proposal.”

“The company decided to break up its massive headquarters into smaller regional offices.”

😄 Fun example

“She broke up with him via text message - talk about modern romance!”

“The ice began to break up as spring arrived, making strange cracking sounds.”

📚Related Words

Synonyms

separatesplit upenddissolvedivide

Antonyms

get togetherunitemake up

break downbreak offfall apartdivorcesplit

Want to master 19,000+ words?

Start for Free 60s Demo

break up — to end a romantic relationship

Example Sentences