Synonym Chooser

How is the word member distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of member are division, fragment, part, piece, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

In what contexts can division take the place of member?

While in some cases nearly identical to member, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is fragment a more appropriate choice than member?

Although the words fragment and member have much in common, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When is it sensible to use part instead of member?

The words part and member are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would piece be a good substitute for member?

While the synonyms piece and member are close in meaning, piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

Where would portion be a reasonable alternative to member?

In some situations, the words portion and member are roughly equivalent. However, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When can section be used instead of member?

The words section and member can be used in similar contexts, but section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

When might segment be a better fit than member?

The meanings of segment and member largely overlap; however, segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of member Olivieri is a volunteer and member of the Fairview School District 72 Parent Teacher Association, and Iverson owns the building of 7925-7927 N. Lincoln Ave., where Will’s Place and Aw Yeah Comics are located. Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2025 In that year, Troiano has calculated, eight percent of voters cast ballots in the primary contests that determined 83 percent of House members. Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 The administrative responsibilities during the vote will pass to the next most senior member of the College of Cardinals. Chad De Guzman, Time, 22 Apr. 2025 Illinois’ 17-member House delegation is made up of 14 Democrats and three Republicans. Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for member
Recent Examples of Synonyms for member
Noun
  • The housing for people who meet certain income limits is a component added with input from the community, the presentation says.
    Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Vehicle parts are the bigger component of the tariff challenge.
    Morgan Korn, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Divers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) are continuing to search for the helicopter’s main rotor, main gear box, tail rotor and a large portion of the tail boom, NTSB said.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Still, with nearly 2.6 million living in the U.S., Salvadorans are the third-largest Hispanic group in the country and portions of the population may be vulnerable to mass-deportation efforts.
    David Catanese, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Francis funeral less lavish but keeps some traditions Francis wanted a less opulent burial than is traditional for popes and made changes to the church's book on funeral rites, but some of the usual elements remain in place.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • For The 1st Time — At Lower Prices Fiction as a Loophole A notable element of the technique is its reliance on fictional scenarios to bypass filters.
    Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Their appeal is one of three religious rights cases the Supreme Court is deciding in the coming weeks, and could be part of a recent trend of the court siding with religious rights advocates.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Recruiting top-tier talent has been a key factor in Rebellions’ success, says Ki-Jun Kim, CEO of Kakao Ventures, who first met Park in 2019 and decided to invest 2 billion won in Rebellions within an hour of their conversation.
    John Kang, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Actual refund amounts will vary based on a filer's status, withholding amount, and other factors.
    Rachel Barber, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Redditors jumped into the comments section to share thoughts about the issue.
    Ashley J. DiMella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Instagram comment sections are flooded with hearts and flowers; the media memorializes a tragedy.
    Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Ketchup is also a key ingredient for topping our meatloaf and flavoring our baked beans.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The key ingredients to effective just-in-time inclusion efforts are the right people, at the right time, with the right message, and from the right messenger.
    Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • But because of the way Tony Gilroy has structured each season as a quartet of three-hour arcs, the release schedule makes sense, giving viewers a chance to gobble up each segment of the larger story in one go, rather than spreading the whole thing out over many months(*).
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2025
  • While the podcast segment saw the co-hosts poking fun at his views, the internet did not hold back in its response.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 23 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Member.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/member. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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