FRAGMENT Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

fragment 1 of 2

verb

ˈfrag-ˌment

Definition of fragment

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

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

Not that it’s been fragmented in a detrimental way, but the first three episodes were largely dedicated to establishing the new status quo. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026 Montemayor told Campus Insights Media that alcohol disrupts rest at a biological level, fragmenting sleep into short bursts that leave a person feeling drained the following morning. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026

Noun

Ancient dirty dishes University of South Carolina archaeologist Adam King and his colleagues found fragments of ancient DNA from Theobroma cacao in the inner surfaces of potsherds from long-ago feasts at Etowah. — ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 The study combined technological, petrographic, and geochemical analyses of pottery fragments recovered from a kiln at Qurayyah. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fragment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fragment

Verb

Rendering examines how artificial intelligence is disrupting the entertainment industry, taking you inside key battlegrounds and spotlighting change-makers wielding the technology for good and ill.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
In the scenario, critical infrastructure in the central Finnish city of Kuopio, including power and water, has been disrupted by cyberattacks and there’s the threat of missile strikes from Finland’s neighbor, Russia.

— Emma Burrows, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of disrupt

Verb

Upon his return to the team, Simmons started three games before fracturing his wrist in a game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

— Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Corbin fractured his jaw in two places, busted his upper arm, and lacerated his lip.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of fracture

Noun

Huge investments are needed to extract the rich resources in Venezuela, whose oil output remains at a fraction of its capacity due to decades of mismanagement, lack of investment and sanctions.

— Anniek Bao,Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Teacher coverage has fallen sharply, uniforms meet just a fraction of demand, forcing officials to recruit retirees and students while parents shoulder school meals and supplies once guaranteed by Cuba’s vaunted system.

— Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of fraction

Verb

Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter who covers the death penalty, cold case investigations, breaking news for USA TODAY.

— Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Alix Earle has finally broken her silence on her feud with Alex Cooper, which was reignited earlier this year.

— Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of break

Noun

But the tricky bit is doing so without eviscerating Congress’ regulatory powers across a lot of different dimensions, including criminal law, that the justices may also think important.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
The terrific new album was played in its entirety during the middle portion of Squeeze’s set and evoked a little bit of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds in some spots.

— David Chiu, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of bit

Noun

During the Viking Age, silver bars, jewelry and scrap silver were used as a means of payment and to store value, with their weight determining their value, according the museums group.

— Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Each piece of the silver trove—the bars, jewelry, coins, and scrap metal—could have been used for payment in Viking society.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrap

Browse Nearby Words

fragility

fragment

fragmental

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“Fragment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fragment. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of fragment

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noun

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