bust-up
Americannoun
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a separation or dissolution, as of a marriage or a close friendship.
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a large party, especially a noisy one.
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Chiefly British. a quarrel; disturbance; punch-up.
noun
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a quarrel, esp a serious one ending a friendship, etc
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a disturbance or brawl
verb
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(intr) to quarrel and part
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(tr) to disrupt (a meeting), esp violently
Etymology
Origin of bust-up
First recorded in 1840–50; noun use of verb phrase bust up
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They also have a new rival further to the right, Restore Britain, founded by one of its own former MPs, Rupert Lowe, who had a spectacular bust-up with the party.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
They also have a new rival further to the right, Restore UK, founded by one of its own former MPs, Rupert Lowe, who had a spectacular bust-up with the party.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
But worse was to follow three minutes later with the scarcely believable bust-up between Gueye and Keane.
From Barron's • Nov. 24, 2025
Takaichi has given little indication that she is rattled by the bust-up.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025
Well, for a start, Ruth and Tommy had had a serious bust-up.
From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
