frac·ture
ˈfrak-chər 
-shər
1
: the result of fracturing : break
2
a
: the act or process of breaking or the state of being broken
especially
: the breaking of hard tissue (such as bone)
b
: the rupture (as by tearing) of soft tissue
kidney fracture
3
: the general appearance of a freshly broken surface of a mineral
fractured; fracturing
ˈfrak-chə-riŋ
-shriŋ
2
a
: to damage or destroy as if by rupturing
b
: to cause great disorder in
c
: to break up : fractionate
d
: to go beyond the limits of (something, such as a rule) : violate
… fractured many of the laws of probability …—
Sheldon Cheney
Sheldon Cheney
: to undergo fracture : to crack or break
Her wrist fractured in the fall.
Examples of fracture in a Sentence
Noun
a fracture in the Earth's crust
She suffered a wrist fracture when she slipped on the ice.
Verb
Her wrist fractured when she fell on the ice.
Their happiness was fractured by an unforeseen tragedy.
These problems may fracture the unity of the two parties.
Their fragile happiness fractured all too soon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Denver has made its rounds in the rumor mill in looking for extra tight-end help at the deadline, as reserve Lucas Krull recently had surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his foot, and integral piece Nate Adkins suffered a left knee injury against the Cowboys last Sunday.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
After Operation Shovel, the alliance between the Kinahans and the Hutches fractured.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fracture
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Noun
The extent of the injury was not known until Thursday’s tests revealed the fracture.
—Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Denver has made its rounds in the rumor mill in looking for extra tight-end help at the deadline, as reserve Lucas Krull recently had surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his foot, and integral piece Nate Adkins suffered a left knee injury against the Cowboys last Sunday.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
Surviving Mormonism fractures the church’s seemingly perfect veneer to expose the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
After Operation Shovel, the alliance between the Kinahans and the Hutches fractured.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fracture
Cite this Entry
“Fracture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fracture. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
fracture
1 of 2 noun
frac·ture
ˈfrak-chər, -shər
1
: the act or process of breaking or the state of being broken
specifically
: the breaking of hard tissue and especially bone
2
: the rupture (as by tearing) of soft tissue
kidney fracture
fracture
2 of 2 transitive verb
fractured; fracturing
-chə-riŋ, -shriŋ
1
: to cause a fracture in
fracture a rib
2
: to cause a rupture or tear in
a blow that fractured a kidney
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