fragment 1 of 2

verb

ˈfrag-ˌment How to pronounce fragment (audio)
Definition of fragmentnext
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly you can fragment that peanut brittle easily, but how it breaks is basically up to the brittle

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fragment

2 of 2

noun

ˈfrag-mənt How to pronounce fragment (audio)
as in piece
a broken or irregular part of something that often remains incomplete charred fragments of the exploded rocket were scattered over a huge area of ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 fragment
Verb
The issue is the way improper technology use can fragment kids’ attention spans. —Rachel Hale, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025 Fanbases are increasingly fragmented across social media platforms and between video services. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
Kaiser also underwent surgeries to remove a bullet fragment and alleviate pressure inside her head. —Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 24 Oct. 2025 But in developing this new methodology, the researchers could identify the bacteria from small fragments of DNA. —Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fragment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fragment
  1. disrupt
  2. piece
  3. fracture
  4. fraction
  5. break
  6. bit
  7. disintegrate
  8. scrap
Verb
  • The real passengers on the ship were not particularly delighted to have large camera cables and lights and people disrupting their vacations.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Corn can provide carbohydrates, which can be vital to deer during the winter for a burst of energy, Edge said, but an increase in carbs can disrupt the animal's gut chemistry and affect digestion, much like giving children a lot of candy bars.
    — Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of disrupt
Noun
  • Even small pieces of space junk (for example, leftover or broken pieces from space launches or nonfunctioning satellites) can have catastrophic effects.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Snag the piece in brown and brass or all black.
    — Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of piece
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
Definition of fracture
Noun
  • But that direct support brought in via sponsorships is only a fraction of the billions that teams and leagues get because fans are betting on games.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Those fractions may look small, but ozone chemistry is anything but linear.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2025
Definition of fraction
Verb
  • The science author Stuart Clark notes that the concept was nonsensical to contemporary scientists, who assumed that magnetism could not break free from a magnet and that the Sun’s energy radiated equally across its surface.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • At the time of his arrest, Scott had an open warrant for skipping court in a 2022 burglary case, in which he was accused of breaking into his mother’s apartment building with two other men and stealing items including a ladder.
    — Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of break
Noun
  • In retirement, Paulsen does a little bit of everything.
    — Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • While speaking with James Austin Johnson at 'Rolling Stone's' Musicians on Musicians event, Role Model revealed the interesting bit of 'Sally' lore.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of bit
Verb
  • Ethan Hawke stars as Lorenz Hart of legendary songsmiths Rodgers & Hart as the prolific partnership disintegrates to his great dismay.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
  • This difference sounds small, but preventing a few tenths of a degree of warming could keep polar ice caps from completely disintegrating, coral reefs from collapsing and other tipping points from triggering.
    — Syris Valentine, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2025
Definition of disintegrate
Noun
  • Use 4-inch round cookie cutters to cut out, rerolling scraps as needed.
    — Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Though not as violent as the Lions-Chiefs scuffle, the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers had a postgame scrap of their own on Sunday after Buffalo’s dominant 40-9 Week 8 victory.
    — Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Definition of scrap

Browse Nearby Words

fragility
fragment
fragmental
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fragment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fragment. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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