splinter 1 of 2

noun

ˈsplin-tər How to pronounce splinter (audio)
Definition of splinternext
as in chip
a small flat piece separated from a whole she got a splinter from the unfinished wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

splinter

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to slice
to cut into long slender pieces He splintered the carrots into little sticks.

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to split
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups The board splintered as soon as the most contentious issues came up for discussion.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 splinter
Noun
Legend has it this imperative caused the park’s architect, William Russell Everitt, to smash the original model to splinters with a baseball bat. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 July 2026 Congress can swing the axe but taxpayers pick up the splinters. — Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Verb
The two groups turned on each other when the Soviet Union splintered, making one in a series of conflicts that erupted as ethnic and religious feuds resurfaced. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026 These days, everyone’s splintered into parts and performance. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for splinter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splinter
  1. chip
  2. slice
  3. split
  4. sliver
  5. chop
  6. divide
  7. fragment
  8. shard
Noun
  • For comparison, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest foundry, began mass-producing 7nm chips in 2018 and can achieve yields exceeding 90%, depending on factors including chip design and die size.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Slate chips replace the usual bark or mulch, and layered plantings, custom window boxes and a medallion set into the rear of the fireplace show the same level of care found indoors.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of chip
Verb
  • The Himalayan landmass, where last week’s deadly flooding in Nepal and China took place, rises from shifting fault lines and is sliced by mighty rivers that are fed by glaciers.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Highland senior defensive end Jace Harris sliced into the backfield to make a tackle for a loss during the first series against visiting Whiting on Friday.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of slice
Verb
  • Kazan writes the entire series, sharing one co-writing credit with Alexander Chee for Episode 6, while Garth Davis and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre split directorial duties.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The season brings back the franchise’s ‘Cutthroat’ format, splitting 24 competitors into three teams battling for a share of $500,000.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of split
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
Verb
  • Thinly slice remaining 2 celery stalks, then finely chop enough dill to yield ¼ cup.
    — Molly Baz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • DeLuca then chopped a ball softly to the left side that shortstop Xander Bogaerts ran in to grab.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of chop
Verb
  • The case has become a national cultural fixation and a social media spectacle, gripping and dividing spectators well beyond the Massachusetts courtroom where the 36-year-old mother is charged with killing her three young children.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Essentially a form of computational fluid dynamics, the simulation divides the flow passages into a very large number of tiny regions and calculates things such as velocity, pressure, turbulence, and temperature throughout the component.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of divide
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
  • 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, 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
Definition of shard

Browse Nearby Words

splint
splinter
splintered
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Cite this Entry

“Splinter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splinter. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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