shard

noun

Definition of shardnext
as in sliver
a small sharp piece of something (such as glass or pottery) Watch out for the shards of glass on the floor.

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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 shard Floating islands exist all over the world in wetlands, where shards of shore often break off into the water. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026 But globs of liquid mercury worked just fine to show the melting shards coming together, even though its toxicity meant the special effects crew had to wear protective gear over the two-day shoot. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 According to a study published today in the journal PLOS One, pottery shards excavated from the famous Etowah mounds in present-day Georgia contain trace residues of the plant. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 2026 Many of these cometary shards are no larger than a single grain of sand. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shard
  1. sliver
  2. fragment
  3. particle
  4. speck
  5. glimmer
  6. splash
  7. fleck
  8. shred
Noun
  • Their work lodges itself into the psyche like a sliver of wood thrust beneath a fingernail.
    — Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • As the eclipse peaked, all but a thin sliver of the moon was covered by Earth’s shadow.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sliver
Noun
  • Phase 2 begins when the fragment reaches denser air, and the meteor begins to brighten.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • As the novel proceeds, these fragments gradually accumulate, and a whole social world emerges, a thicket of personal connections and memories.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of fragment
Noun
  • Without ventilation, those particles settle on nearby surfaces like cabinets, walls, and countertops, creating a sticky film that builds up over time.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2026
  • If the event detected by this team was caused by the rare interaction between two WIMPs, this would tell scientists some things about these currently hypothetical particles.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of particle
Noun
  • Calcium shows up as bright white specks on the coronary artery images.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Pulse a few times, until crumbs range in size from specks to peas.
    — Leah Eskin, Midwest Living, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of speck
Noun
  • The polls offer a glimmer of hope for Democrats and their voters, who hope that the party can shrink the Republican majority in Congress – or capture it – this midterm season.
    — Emily R. Condon, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • While more muted in color than her later looks, the outfit shows an early glimmer of her future full-on sparkle.
    — Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of glimmer
Noun
  • This was far from Towns’ first public splash in the sports card space.
    — Larry Holder, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The splash screen that appears when loading up Orbitals, showing Shapefarm and publisher Kepler Interactive’s logos, is soaked in retro-futuristic bright neon like Apple’s back in the 80s.
    — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of splash
Noun
  • The soup itself has an almost lemon curd-like acidity and sweetness, and it’s laced with flecks of fresh corn and tiny diced pieces of zucchini.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Amid his vast responsibilities running all the departments in the Giants’ front office, Zaidi still found the time to pore over MLB Draft League statistics and look for flecks of gold.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of fleck
Noun
  • Some of these cabinet members have even maintained, without a shred of evidence, that Syria’s president, the former jihadist Ahmed al-Shara, is preparing to attack Israel.
    — Amos Harel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But Michael Sanft, Davis’ defense lawyer, argued that the prosecution had no forensics, no eyewitness and not a single shred of physical evidence placing Davis in the Cadillac with the shooter.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shred

Browse Nearby Words

shaping up
shard
shards
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Cite this Entry

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

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