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
As the Silicon Valley area south of San Francisco sprawls outward, this checkerboard pattern of settlement has fragmented the natural landscape, creating a hard-to-manage public health threat. —Sean Lawrence, The Conversation, 18 June 2025 In the Internet era, content is not only abundant but increasingly fragmented. —Harvard Business Review, 10 July 2025
Noun
Scientists believe these fragments, which are named after the Shergotty meteorite that fell in India in 1865, come from the Red Planet’s volcanic regions. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 July 2025 The injury was severe -- a complete break across her femur with multiple fragments. —Doc Louallen, ABC News, 11 July 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 industry’s year of strikes in 2023 also disrupted the flow of Hollywood movie releases to the local multiplex.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2025
  • Underneath the fun exterior, Red Bull was serious about its ambitions of disrupting F1’s front-runners and assembling a team that was capable of winning a championship.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Definition of disrupt
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
Definition of piece
Verb
  • But before everything falls to pieces, researchers are racing to measure how quickly the glacier is fracturing.
    — Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2025
  • After fracturing his hand in April, Sambora performed through the injury at the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala on May 2, days later.
    — Marina Watts, People.com, 11 July 2025
Definition of fracture
Noun
  • Without that aid this year, Avalon resorted to scraping 39,000 cubic yards from other areas of its own beach at its own expense — a small fraction of what is typically needed.
    — Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
  • Private, nonpartisan agencies now offer comparable legal protections for a fraction of MSEA’s cost.
    — Jeremy Gosnell, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2025
Definition of fraction
Verb
  • The trip included an awkward moment which garnered a lot of attention, when the President broke royal etiquette by walking in front of the Queen.
    — Callum Sutherland, Time, 14 July 2025
  • At the time, Anduril was a startup with twenty-five employees, hoping to break into the defense business.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Definition of break
Noun
  • While a headboard may seem like a small design detail in your overall bedroom layout, a little bit of creativity can make a big impact.
    — Rebecca Shinners, Architectural Digest, 24 July 2025
  • The Martin County Sheriff’s Office says while the couple was waist deep in the water with their dog, an alligator bit the hand and wrist of the woman and dragged her under the water.
    — Gershon Harrell, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Definition of bit
Verb
  • After that group disintegrated, the pair linked up with the guitarist and drummer of another band, Mythology — Iommi and Bill Ward — in late 1968 and formed a sextet called the Polka Tulk Blues Band.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
  • Substantial, but not so much so that the bun will disintegrate from rivers of juice.
    — Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 July 2025
Definition of disintegrate
Noun
  • Even from the outside, the bathroom door was fully covered in scrap wood, with a moon cut out to resemble an outhouse door.
    — Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 20 July 2025
  • The original paint on the pine hardwood is intact if chipped, and several rails are missing—likely sacrificed to wartime scrap drives during filming.
    — India Brown, Robb Report, 18 July 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 Jul. 2025.

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