as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles eons of incessant pounding by the waves have comminuted the once-rocky shoreline into a bed of fine-grained sand

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 comminute The report of displacement (out of alignment) is not as worrisome as if the fracture was comminuted (pieces). Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 Nov. 2017 Also, this prognosis is rooted in my hopefulness the fracture is not comminuted (in multiple pieces), as that might prolong the timeline by a couple of weeks. Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comminute
Verb
  • The fact that everybody was there and everyone was grinding, there was that little extra motivation to really get this thing going.
    Vic Tafur, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • This precise semiautomatic machine can grind your beans, push out balanced shots, and froth your milk.
    Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • For the first time since the storms began pounding Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted for across the state and more could be missing.
    Brit Morse, Fortune, 7 July 2025
  • On Friday, torrential rain pounded the region, causing the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 feet in just 45 minutes -- the second-highest on record, officials said .
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • The Yankees dropped their sixth consecutive game Saturday, suffering a crushing 12-6 loss to the New York Mets.
    Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2025
  • If the Heat move off Bam Adebayo, the defense will absorb a crushing blow, but that will come at a time when NBA offense has trumped NBA defense.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Pallets of jurema bark, powdered and shredded, in a storage room at one of Akasha Song’s production facilities.
    Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 22 May 2025
  • Makeup patted him down—he’d worked up a coat of sweat during the setup—and powdered him up; the costumer threw his shirt on him.
    Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Nothing beats a flattering linen dress for the summer.
    Isis Briones, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2025
  • On Wednesday, Fritz beat Canada's Diallo 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-3 to reach Wimbledon's third round, in three hours and six minutes.
    James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • The logs can be cut, milled, sanded and finished just like real wood, and the layers mimic the growth rings of a tree, making the product as aesthetically pleasing as the real thing.
    LEW SICHELMAN, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025
  • La Tourangelle mills a range of nut oils at its facility in northwest Woodland, powered by a solar farm producing 350 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
    Camila Pedrosa July 6, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • Word is, Julia and Adriana’s bond will be pulverized like mint in a mojito over the course of Real Housewives of Miami season seven.
    Eddie Mouradian, Vulture, 11 June 2025
  • Some families were unable to bury their loved ones, as some victims’ bodies were completely pulverized in the crash.
    Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Organic materials like wood, leather, and fabric — which often remain remarkably preserved in the cold, low-oxygen depths — can begin to warp, crumble or disintegrate as dormant bacteria and fungi reactivate.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025
  • Researchers think the deceased was buried in a wooden coffin that has long since disintegrated.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Comminute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comminute. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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