# bust up

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bust-up
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to end a relationship

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to end a romantic relationship or a close partnership.

For teachers: to terminate a romantic relationship or partnership. Intransitive in this sense.

- I heard that Sarah and Tom decided to bust up after three years together.
- The band decided to bust up mid-tour due to creative differences that had been simmering for months.

Usage: Often used without an object to describe the act of separating.

### 2. to break or damage

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · American English

to break something or damage it badly.

For teachers: to physically damage, ruin, or destroy something. Transitive; the object can sit between 'bust' and 'up'.

- He managed to bust up his phone screen when he dropped it on the pavement.
- The storm winds were strong enough to bust up the old wooden fence in the backyard.

Usage: Commonly used in American English for physical objects or business failures.

### 3. to laugh hard

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to start laughing suddenly and very loudly.

For teachers: to burst into sudden, intense laughter.

- The whole class started to bust up when the teacher made a funny mistake.
- Every time he tells that story about the parrot, I just bust up laughing.

Teaching tip: This is very informal; in British English, 'crack up' is more common for this specific meaning.

### 4. a fight or argument

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · British English

a loud argument or a physical fight that ends a relationship or meeting.

For teachers: a serious quarrel or physical fight, often resulting in a permanent separation or breakdown of relations.

- There was a huge bust-up at the party last night and now they aren't speaking.
- The board meeting ended in a spectacular bust-up over the proposed budget cuts.

Usage: Usually hyphenated (bust-up) when used as a noun.

## Examples

- They decided to bust up after ten years of marriage.
- The police arrived quickly to bust up the fight before anyone got seriously hurt.
- The company was forced to bust up its various subsidiaries following the court's ruling on anti-competitive practices.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: highlight that 'bust up' is more aggressive and informal than 'break up'; it suggests a messy or violent conclusion rather than a mutual agreement.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.