What Is Another Way to Say “Break Apart”?

Looking for synonyms for break apart? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say break apart.

  • Disintegrate
  • Fragment
  • Split up
  • Fracture
  • Shatter
  • Crumble
  • Fall apart
  • Dismember
  • Disassemble
  • Sever
  • Disperse
  • Divide
  • Break up
  • Disunite
  • Decompose
  • Dissolve
  • Disband
  • Detach
  • Break down
  • Disjoin

Want to learn how to say break apart professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Disintegrate

When to Use: Suitable for something that is breaking into small parts or losing its structure.
Example: “The old building slowly disintegrated due to neglect.”

2. Fragment

When to Use: Appropriate for breaking or causing something to break into fragments.
Example: “The coalition began to fragment due to internal disagreements.”

3. Split Up

When to Use: Best used for dividing into parts or groups, or separating.
Example: “The team decided to split up the tasks to increase efficiency.”

4. Fracture

When to Use: Suitable for cracking or breaking something hard, especially bones.
Example: “The impact was so intense that it fractured the steel frame.”

5. Shatter

When to Use: Appropriate for breaking suddenly into small pieces.
Example: “The company’s reputation was shattered after the scandal.”

6. Crumble

When to Use: Best used for breaking or falling apart into small fragments.
Example: “The ancient walls of the fortress had started to crumble.”

7. Fall Apart

When to Use: Suitable for breaking into parts because of being old or poorly made.
Example: “The agreement began to fall apart due to lack of support from key members.”

8. Dismember

When to Use: Appropriate for cutting, tearing, or pulling the limbs off a body.
Example: “The old car was dismembered for parts in the junkyard.”

9. Disassemble

When to Use: Best used for taking something apart.
Example: “The engineers needed to disassemble the machine to find the fault.”

10. Sever

When to Use: Suitable for cutting or slicing, especially suddenly and forcefully.
Example: “The company decided to sever ties with the controversial supplier.”

11. Disperse

When to Use: Appropriate for distributing or spreading over a wide area.
Example: “The crowd began to disperse after the announcement.”

12. Divide

When to Use: Best used for separating or splitting something into parts.
Example: “The large project was divided into manageable phases.”

13. Break Up

When to Use: Suitable for ending a relationship or dispersing a group.
Example: “The partnership between the companies broke up due to differing visions.”

14. Disunite

When to Use: Appropriate for causing to cease to be united; creating disunity.
Example: “The controversial policy began to disunite the members of the alliance.”

15. Decompose

When to Use: Best used for something organic that is decaying or breaking down.
Example: “The compost heap was full of decomposing organic matter.”

16. Dissolve

When to Use: Suitable for transitioning into a liquid form, or ending an assembly or official body.
Example: “The committee was dissolved after completing its investigation.”

17. Disband

When to Use: Appropriate for breaking up an organized group, like a club or army.
Example: “After the project’s completion, the temporary task force disbanded.”

18. Detach

When to Use: Best used for separating or disengaging something from something else.
Example: “The trailer was detached from the truck.”

19. Break Down

When to Use: Suitable for failing to function or continuing to work properly.
Example: “The communication system broke down during the critical operation.”

20. Disjoin

When to Use: Appropriate for separating two or more things that are joined or connected.
Example: “The two sections of the bridge were disjoined for reconstruction.”

Linda Brown