as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles
eons of incessant pounding by the waves have comminuted the once-rocky shoreline into a bed of fine-grained sand
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Recent Examples of comminute
The report of displacement (out of alignment) is not as worrisome as if the fracture was comminuted (pieces).
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Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 Nov. 2017
Also, this prognosis is rooted in my hopefulness the fracture is not comminuted (in multiple pieces), as that might prolong the timeline by a couple of weeks.
—Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 Oct. 2017
Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 Nov. 2017
Also, this prognosis is rooted in my hopefulness the fracture is not comminuted (in multiple pieces), as that might prolong the timeline by a couple of weeks.
—Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comminute
Verb
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Over the last year, Russia has been on the front foot, with the exception of Kursk, and has been grinding deeper into eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region despite heavy losses.Samya Kullab and Tara Copp, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
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Choose your favorite salt for this recipe, and if possible, freshly grind the black pepper for the best flavor.Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But, that reality doesn’t stop the evangelists from pounding their chests and boldly declaring that everything from babies to Roombas should be put on chain.Jordan Yallen, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
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There’s just something hot about a man, woman, or they/them who can pound the drums with precision and skill and provide a constant, stable, rhythmic beat for their fellow band members’ somewhat more theatrical, look-at-me musical skills.Emma Specter, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The big picture: Most of the Colts' paths to the postseason closed after a crushing Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos that helped the Houston Texans clinch the AFC South.Justin L. Mack, Axios, 20 Dec. 2024
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The forecast for next week is probably about to crush those dreams.Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Elsewhere, her teammate Kayla powders her undereyes while in a split on the floor.Elise Taylor, Vogue, 26 Nov. 2024
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In the wake of their failure to stop Obamacare, the Republican Party’s more pragmatic lawmakers wish that the Tea Party would powder their wigs, oil their single-shot muskets, and leave the governing to others.Michael Kazin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2013
Verb
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The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Colts 40-14 in an AFC playoff game.Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
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The 32-year-old Russian is 20-1-1, and he’s beaten almost everyone there is to beat in the weight class to set up his title shot.Brian Mazique, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Tea is always served promptly at four o’clock in the afternoon, and regular guests begin to mill about around 3:45, waiting to snatch their favorite pastry before someone else does.Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024
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Paradise flycatchers fervently follow kudu and bushbuck, feeding on mosquitoes and other flying insects that mill around the antelope.Scott Travers, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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His nation is still in the depths of an unprecedented military offensive against militant group Hamas that has pulverized the Gaza Strip, killed tens of thousands of people and displaced most of the territory’s population.Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
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How Bats Benefit Society Aside from eating insects that would otherwise pulverize food and vegetables, bats also pollinate plants yielding 300 fruit species of fruit and cocoa.Noël Fletcher, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Dec. 2024
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Previously part of the Soviet Union, Chechnya asserted its independence from Moscow as the bloc disintegrated.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near comminute
Cite this Entry
“Comminute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comminute. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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