fragmentary

adjective

ˈfrag-mən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce fragmentary (audio)
Definition of fragmentarynext
as in incomplete
lacking some necessary part the historical record of this pharaoh's life and reign is fragmentary at best

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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 fragmentary Some lives are permitted to remain fragmentary. — Literary Hub, 26 June 2026 That hypothesis remains tentative; the fossil record is fragmentary enough that ruling out opportunistic or scavenging behavior is difficult. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 New Directions This field of study has become more fragmentary and diverse in approaches, especially in Europe, since the mid-2000s. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 May 2026 As a result, museums around the world hold remarkable artifacts whose backstories are thin, fragmentary or missing altogether. — Carlo Rindi Nuzzolo, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fragmentary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fragmentary
incomplete
Adjective
  • Baha Sibai, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at in the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, believes the rate could be even higher because many birth certificates have incomplete data.
    — Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Incomplete customer profiles lead to incomplete answers, while fragmented behavioral data limits AI’s ability to understand intent, identify patterns and recommend the right next action.
    — Bill Bruno, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of incomplete

Browse Nearby Words

fragmentarily
fragmentary
fragmentate
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Cite this Entry

“Fragmentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fragmentary. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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