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fragment

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fragment distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fragment are division, member, part, piece, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When would division be a good substitute for fragment?

The meanings of division and fragment largely overlap; however, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is it sensible to use member instead of fragment?

While the synonyms member and fragment are close in meaning, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

Where would part be a reasonable alternative to fragment?

The words part and fragment 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 can piece be used instead of fragment?

In some situations, the words piece and fragment are roughly equivalent. However, piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When could portion be used to replace fragment?

Although the words portion and fragment have much in common, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When is section a more appropriate choice than fragment?

The synonyms section and fragment are sometimes interchangeable, but section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

When might segment be a better fit than fragment?

While in some cases nearly identical to fragment, segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

Examples 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 fragment
Verb
As media landscapes continue to fragment, holiday movies represent a rare constant: a genre that consistently delivers emotional engagement and financial returns. Paula Landry, New York Daily News, 31 Dec. 2024 Current Solutions To Solving The Deepfake Problem Currently, the regulatory space surrounding deepfakes is fragmented at best. Steven Smith, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
The fracture can be simple, where the bone is broken into two pieces, or complex, where the bone is shattered into multiple fragments. Maggie Aime, Msn, Health, 25 Dec. 2024 Bomb fragments ripped the flesh from Ms. Sajida’s flank, and her son’s body was sprayed with shrapnel, medical records show. Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fragment 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fragment
Verb
  • As the region grapples with the sheer number of homes and buildings destroyed, livelihoods disrupted and lives lost, its signature industry will face yet another setback in the loss of go-to filming spots, particularly in the Altadena area and Pacific Palisades.
    Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
  • While many organizations prioritize technology, additional areas outside the technological realm can disrupt security capabilities and affect vulnerability management.
    Dewayne Hart, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Mazzoli created a lush score that was alternately sweeping or intimate, sensuous or mystical, yet with a distinctive sound that was her own weaving a thread through the piece.
    Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati.com, 19 July 2017
  • This is why the war stories of Tom Clancy are such convincing and moving pieces of fiction.
    Janine Barchas, Washington Post, 18 July 2017
Verb
  • While competing in Newcastle, England, McIntyre fractured the T2 and T3 vertebrae in his neck.
    Kelsey Lentz, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
  • With access to social media, messaging apps, and endless entertainment, students’ focus has fractured.
    Neela Mukherjee Lockel, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • All had fled with a tiny fraction of their belongings as flames crept nearer to their homes.
    Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
  • Photographer Savannah Rose of the United States spent years trying to document this behavior, which spans only a fraction of a second.
    Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Though news broke yesterday that a deal had been reached, Israel cautioned that it was not finalized and accused Hamas of trying to extort last-minute demands.
    Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The front-door window had been broken and Forrest was lying face down in the back in a pool of blood, cops said.
    Ellen Moynihan, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Skits are one-joke bits done in grade school or by guys at the Rotary Club.
    Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
  • And that has stoked concerns about chemical bits lingering in the final product.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The phase transition If that wasn’t unpleasant enough for you, consider this: Perhaps the Universe will take some weird physics to the extreme and disintegrate in a flash of energy.
    Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 14 Jan. 2025
  • The partnership between Synapse and Evolve Bank & Trust disintegrated over a $13 million deficit in Synapse’s For Benefit Of (FBO) accounts.
    Zareef Hamid, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Here’s City writer, Sam Lee, who has gorged and feasted upon trophies galore in recent years, while the rest of us dine on scraps (or the Sela Cup, in my case).
    George Caulkin, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Most clothes made of recycled materials use post-consumer plastic bottles or fabric scraps — an important element of textile recycling, but not a sufficient answer to pollution from fashion.
    Lewis Perkins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near fragment

Cite this Entry

“Fragment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fragment. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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