piece 1 of 2

Definition of piecenext
1
2
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production presented a new interpretation of the piece by Mozart

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in portion
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group believes his piece of the profits should be higher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piece

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word piece distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piece are division, fragment, member, part, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When is division a more appropriate choice than piece?

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

the manufacturing division of the company

When can fragment be used instead of piece?

While the synonyms fragment and piece are close in meaning, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Where would member be a reasonable alternative to piece?

In some situations, the words member and piece are roughly equivalent. However, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When might part be a better fit than piece?

The words part and piece can be used in similar contexts, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would portion be a good substitute for piece?

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

cut the pie into six portions

When could section be used to replace piece?

The meanings of section and piece largely overlap; however, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can segment take the place of piece?

The words segment and piece are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

How is the word piece distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piece are division, fragment, member, part, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When is division a more appropriate choice than piece?

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

the manufacturing division of the company

When can fragment be used instead of piece?

While the synonyms fragment and piece are close in meaning, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Where would member be a reasonable alternative to piece?

In some situations, the words member and piece are roughly equivalent. However, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When might part be a better fit than piece?

The words part and piece can be used in similar contexts, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would portion be a good substitute for piece?

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

cut the pie into six portions

When could section be used to replace piece?

The meanings of section and piece largely overlap; however, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can segment take the place of piece?

The words segment and piece are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 piece
Noun
Some prime examples include titanium and nickel, which can make the final piece brittle and prone to cracking. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026 The man who once electrified golf fans around the world is picking up the pieces from yet another mess he’s made. Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
When Grandpa Henry dies and Roman is tasked with cleaning out the house, Roman discovers even more secrets and becomes determined to piece them together. Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026 Without a clear presentation to Congress or a formal address to the nation, the administration's communication has been scattershot and intermittent, leaving Americans with the task of piecing it all together. Justin Fishel, ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for piece
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piece
Noun
  • The notes bounced over the lapping water, and people’s voices came in fragments.
    Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
  • The event Moskovitz is referring to occurred on March 21, when a 1-ton, 3-foot-wide meteor exploded over Texas, with a cannonball-sized fragment crashing through the roof of a house in Bammel, near Cypress Station, north of Houston, Texas.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In one casually stunning composition, Ion looms in the foreground over the rooftops of Cluj in the background.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Further proof emerged in studies of volcanic rocks found at Katmai called andesites and dacites, which had the same chemical composition as those blasted out of Novarupta.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Bush was charged with murder, home invasion and criminal possession of a firearm.
    Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Bush is charged with murder, home invasion and criminal possession of a firearm, and is being held in lieu of a $2 million court set bond.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Kitchen staff pile the plates high with big portions, ensuring leftovers to take home.
    Joe Marusak April 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
  • No substitution or compensation will be given for any portion of the prize that is not used.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Because the property was given special permission to build here and to date, is the only structure in Gion allowed to be above the legal limit of 39 feet.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Amid planning for those flights, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says the agency will send up another Orion crew next year to rehearse rendezvous and docking procedures with moon landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
    William Harwood, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • A little bit of that football mindset in the sense of you just got to go 1-0 that day.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Hours and hours of rolling green hills and rice paddies passed by the windows, the pale pools amid the shoots flashing bits of sky.
    Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • While Protect Wyoming is necessarily focused within the state and on state politics, rather than federal candidates, its work stands to influence nonresidents who hunt, fish, and recreate in the state.
    Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2026
  • For commuters like Sirena Lopez, who drives two hours each way for work, the impact is immediate.
    Richard Ramos, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • That's when authorities said the homeowner allegedly pointed a gun at the worker, sending him running for his life.
    Erika Stanish, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The play, like the movie, is loosely based on a robbery that took place in 1972, on a boiling-hot August day, when an eccentric, deep-in-debt Vietnam veteran named John Wojtowicz entered a Chase bank in Brooklyn with a gun and two accomplices, hoping for a quick score.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Piece.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piece. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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