detail 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in detachment
a small military unit with a special task or function the officer sent out a detail to patrol the perimeter of the compound

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

detail

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun detail contrast with its synonyms?

The words item and particular are common synonyms of detail. While all three words mean "one of the distinct parts of a whole," detail applies to one of the small component parts of a larger whole such as a task, building, painting, narration, or process.

leave the details to others

When could item be used to replace detail?

In some situations, the words item and detail are roughly equivalent. However, item applies to each thing specified separately in a list or in a group of things that might be listed or enumerated.

every item on the list

When might particular be a better fit than detail?

While in some cases nearly identical to detail, particular stresses the smallness, singleness, and especially the concreteness of a detail or item.

a description that included few particulars

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 detail
Noun
However, Sloss did not share any details at the time. Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Late in the day Friday, prosecutors called FBI agent Kelly Shanahan, one of the lead agents on the case who gave the greatest detail yet on how investigators got onto Maani in the first place. Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
They’re made with Spanx’s famously soft four-way stretch and detailed with subtle pintucks and ribbed trim for an elevated finish. Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025 The breakthrough is detailed in a study published in November in The Astronomical Journal. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detail
Noun
  • In honor of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, the restaurant is offering a BOGO meal deal on entree items to jersey-wearing customers who dine-in through the end of the business day.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Plastic bottles, aluminum cans and wooden pallets are among the items banned from landfills in the state.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In fact, Demi Moore is kind of the queen of confidence these days.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 22 Apr. 2025
  • In fact, the past few years have seen a particular rise in the drag king scene on the island.
    James Factora, Them., 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Since detachment requires ongoing emotional processing — the kind that can flicker in and out of your consciousness for years — this could explain why, for many, fully relinquishing an ex isn’t a matter of months.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • By adding a photo of an ICE arrest to a light-hearted viral trend, for instance, the White House account manages to perfectly capture the sociopathic, fascistic tone of ironic detachment and glee of the internet’s darkest corners and most malignant trolls.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Sure enough, in early 2024, PJ took a job as an avionics technician at Tinker.
    Jenni Carlson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Neither party is doing a better job at reducing crime.
    Christopher S. Warshaw, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Fifteen years after her husband’s drowning in the nearby bay, Tressilian’s days are spent in a cranky routine: grumbling over the obscene resort stationed on the opposite bluff, reading London’s gossip columns, and summoning the household help with the insistent ringing of a bedroom call bell.
    Erik Morse, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Venus exalts in your sign and the love planet is finally stationing direct — think of this like a stellar refresh and personal revamp.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • According to the news station, the other driver was a 32-year-old man named Christopher Luke who was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • And Coca-Cola was similarly accused after being named the world’s worst plastics polluter while claiming to have improved the eco-friendliness of its products.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This is why Sandy is not listed in the landfall maps!
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Yes Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Fort Worth: Served on Fort Worth City Council since 2023 Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding?
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Abby went out to take watch and spotted two people on horseback, later revealed to be Joel and Dina, who had gone out early on patrol together.
    Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The person who was killed hit the patrol vehicle from behind and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Detail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detail. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on detail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!