section 1 of 2

noun

ˈsek-shən How to pronounce section (audio)
Definition of sectionnext
1
as in district
an area (as of a city) set apart for some purpose or having some special feature several abandoned warehouses in the city's industrial section are being converted into art galleries and artists' lofts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in portion
one of the pieces from which something is designed to be assembled had trouble fitting the sections of the bookcase together

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

section

2 of 2

verb

as in to part

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word section distinct from other similar nouns?

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

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can division take the place of section?

Although the words division and section have much in common, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is it sensible to use fragment instead of section?

The words fragment and section are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When is member a more appropriate choice than section?

While in some cases nearly identical to section, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When can part be used instead of section?

The synonyms part and section are sometimes interchangeable, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would piece be a good substitute for section?

The words piece and section can be used in similar contexts, but piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When could portion be used to replace section?

While the synonyms portion and section are close in meaning, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When might segment be a better fit than section?

In some situations, the words segment and section are roughly equivalent. However, 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 section
Noun
United United Airlines is expanding United Polaris and adding eight seats in the first row of each business class section. —Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025 Housing for veterans: A May 16 article in the A section about President Trump’s executive order calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs to house thousands of homeless veterans on its West Los Angeles campus named the development partnership working with the VA as the Vets Collective. —Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Verb
Other primary attractions include exclusive jackpot titles, a large selection of the best online slots and table games sectioned under multiple categories. —Matthew Gover, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025 Make your comments section a place where real relationships start. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for section
Recent Examples of Synonyms for section
  1. district
  2. portion
  3. part
  4. neighborhood
  5. segment
  6. separate
  7. zone
  8. fragment
Noun
  • This story has been updated to note that the dance was not sponsored by the school district but occurred on school grounds, according to a statement from the district.
    — Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025
  • Then in early 2021, just a few weeks into his term, President Joe Biden’s administration withdrew support for the lawsuit and rescinded the Education Department’s threats to cut funding to the districts.
    — Jessika Harkay, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2025
Definition of district
Noun
  • Whey protein is the liquid portion of milk that separates from the curd during cheesemaking.
    — Lindsey DeSoto, Health, 20 May 2025
  • Most of his bladder had been removed due to a rare cancer, leaving a portion too small to function.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
Definition of portion
Verb
  • Sitting cross-legged on the floor while her scalp was parted and pulled by a cousin, an auntie, someone who loved her.
    — Ruhama Wolle, Vogue, 22 May 2025
  • The crowd parted, and a tiny woman with a big smile emerged.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2025
Definition of part
Noun
  • Although several Catholic schools in the area have been forced to close in recent years, Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore’s Johnston Square neighborhood is expanding.
    — Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2025
  • Listen to this article A community of military families faced major damage to their homes and vehicles on Thursday after a small plane crashed in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood.
    — Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
Definition of neighborhood
Noun
  • Gin has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the spirits market.
    — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • What To Know The construction procurement milestone allows Estonia's 215-kilometer portion of Rail Baltica to proceed, though the final construction relies on Latvia and Lithuania also delivering their segments of the rail.
    — Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Definition of segment
Verb
  • At one point, cinematographer Adib Sobhani’s camera cranes up above the schoolyard, showing students and parents separated by a fence that Aliyar accidentally locked.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2025
  • That may not sound like much, but in a market where supply and demand are often separated by razor-thin margins, the impact on oil prices could be significant.
    — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Definition of separate
Noun
  • And then for him, control the zone, make a lot of contact, hit line drives all over the field.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
  • In zones 7 and colder, the top growth of bluebeard dies back in winter, and most gardeners cut plants to the ground in spring.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
Definition of zone
Verb
  • That’s because prior to its 1861 unification, the Italian peninsula was fragmented into several kingdoms, duchies, and city-states, each with its landscape, culture, food, and grapes.
    — Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • Making clothes is complicated because supply chains can be long and fragmented, from growing and processing raw materials such as cotton, to weaving and dyeing textiles, designing patterns and sewing fabric into garments.
    — Lucy Handley, CNBC, 19 May 2025
Definition of fragment

Phrases Containing section

Browse Nearby Words

sectarians
section
sectional
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Cite this Entry

“Section.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/section. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of section for Spanish Speakers

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