Definition of piecenext
1
2
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production presented a new interpretation of the piece by Mozart

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in portion
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group believes his piece of the profits should be higher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piece

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word piece distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piece are division, fragment, member, part, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When is division a more appropriate choice than piece?

While in some cases nearly identical to piece, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When can fragment be used instead of piece?

While the synonyms fragment and piece are close in meaning, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Where would member be a reasonable alternative to piece?

In some situations, the words member and piece are roughly equivalent. However, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When might part be a better fit than piece?

The words part and piece can be used in similar contexts, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would portion be a good substitute for piece?

Although the words portion and piece have much in common, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When could section be used to replace piece?

The meanings of section and piece largely overlap; however, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can segment take the place of piece?

The words segment and piece are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 piece
Noun
For instance, Qidi had to include a piece of Velcro to prevent the Polar Cooler tube from rubbing against the glass surface inside the top cover. Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026 Her smart mix of lightweight and cozy pieces made the outfit especially practical for transitional weather. Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
According to the band, Ow ∞ is a record about embracing a chaotic present while piecing yourself back together through memories, relationships and the creative process. Spin Staff, SPIN, 21 July 2026 The doctor then has to be all Sherlock Holmes-like and piece everything together. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for piece
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piece
Noun
  • The meteors are tiny fragments shed by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle that burn up in Earth’s atmosphere at about 37 miles (59 kilometers) per second.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Standouts include fragments of original mosaics, old blueprints, and digital reconstructions to show how the building has changed over the centuries.
    CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The question is less about that and more about the water’s composition.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Though both forces were roughly the same size, their composition, arms, and battle tactics varied greatly.
    Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Bragg's office contends that the state charges, including murder and firearms offenses, involve different legal elements and criminal conduct than federal charges, which alleged Mangione traveled across state lines to stalk and kill Thompson.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Police said investigators obtained arrest warrants for malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and said additional charges could be added later.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But developers accustomed to CUDA may need to rewrite and optimize substantial portions of their existing code before moving their training workloads to Ascend.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That effectively takes a large portion of the National Guard off the table, narrowing the pool of available units at a time when the force is also balancing deployments and other commitments overseas.
    Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Deep in the cornfields of northeast Iowa, a cacophony of voices loudly whispered to build a permanent baseball stadium.
    Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The city of Chicago recently pursued a worthy effort to build affordable apartments on the West Side.
    Harold Pollack, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Bits of pickled veg and infused butters come with the bread course, and the Parker House-like bread itself is multicolored thanks to leftover bits of beet and ramp and carrot.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes he can get pulled a little bit too far towards his near post with wide shots and open up space towards the back post.
    Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • For models such as DeepSeek and its distilled versions, the engineer estimated that two or three developers could complete the transition with roughly an additional month of work.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Many health workers have gone on strike to protest not being paid for their work since the outbreak was declared.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • According to Chicago police, a 25-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman were exiting the gas station when a silver Nissan sedan approached and the occupants inside pulled out guns and shot in their direction.
    Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Along with those who died, more than 20 people were injured in Thailand’s worst mass shooting since 2022, which has reignited debate over firearms control in Southeast Asia’s largest gun-owning nation.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Piece.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piece. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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