1 A2 idiomatic neutral
if a romantic relationship ends, the two people stop being together
"They broke up after five years together."
inseparable
break up
A2 neutral mixed transitive/intransitive
to separate into pieces, end a relationship, or make people move apart
In plain English
to end, split into parts, or make people go away from each other
What does "break up" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
to separate something into smaller pieces or parts
"Break the bread up and put it in a bowl."
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
to make a group stop being together, especially by ending a fight or gathering
"The police arrived to break up the crowd."
separable
4 B2 idiomatic neutral
if a sound, picture, or signal breaks up, it becomes unclear because it is interrupted
"Your voice is breaking up, so I'll call you back."
inseparable
Usage tip
Very common in everyday English, especially for romantic relationships, schools closing for holidays, poor phone signals, and dividing objects or groups.
Words that pair with "break up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
relationship marriage school fight signal ice
How to conjugate "break up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
break up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
breaks up
he/she/it
Past simple
broke up
yesterday
Past participle
broken up
have + pp
-ing form
breaking up
continuous
Hear "break up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "break up"
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Keep exploring
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