portion

noun

por·tion | \ ˈpȯr-shən

Definition of portion

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an individual's part or share of something: such as

a : a share received by gift or inheritance

b : dowry

c : enough food especially of one kind to serve one person at one meal

2 : an individual's lot, fate, or fortune : one's share of good and evil

3 : an often limited part of a whole

portion

verb

portioned; portioning\ ˈpȯr-sh(ə-)niŋ

Definition of portion (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to divide into portions : distribute portioned out the food equally

2 : to allot a dowry to : dower

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about portion

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Choose the Right Synonym for portion

Noun

part, portion, piece, member, division, section, segment, fragment mean something less than the whole. part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required. they ran only part of the way portion implies an assigned or allotted part. cut the pie into six portions piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole. a puzzle with 500 pieces member suggests one of the functional units composing a body. a structural member division applies to a large or diversified part. the manufacturing division of the company section applies to a relatively small or uniform part. the entertainment section of the newspaper segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage. the retired segment of the population fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off. only a fragment of the play still exists

fate, destiny, lot, portion, doom mean a predetermined state or end. fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome. the fate of the submarine is unknown destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end. the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance it was her lot to die childless , portion implying the apportioning of good and evil. remorse was his daily portion doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate. if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain

Examples of portion in a Sentence

Noun

A portion of the donations will be given to the orphanage. Portions of land were used for farming. A considerable portion of the city was flooded. The restaurant gives large portions. She divided the pie into six equal portions.

Verb

The work was portioned to each member of the staff. portioned out the medical supplies equally

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Mary Elizabeth Kennedy, 52, suffered burns to a significant portion of her body, and is continuing to receive medical treatment for her injuries. — Erika Butler, baltimoresun.com, "Judge: Woman charged with setting fatal Edgewood house fire 'an incredible danger to the community'," 3 July 2019 As a result, Andy was allegedly able to exclude significant portions of his wealth from the pre-nuptual agreement, including holdings that appear to result from the company’s acquisition of Sidekick manufacturer Danger. — Russell Brandom, The Verge, "Android co-founder Andy Rubin accused of cheating wife out of fortune while running a sex ring," 2 July 2019 Thompson sustained a torn ACL during Game 6 of the NBA Finals against Toronto and will miss a significant portion of the 2019-20 season. — Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY, "Klay Thompson will stay with Warriors, agree to five-year, $189.6 million deal," 29 June 2019 The company hopes that Starlink could one day bring internet access to a significant portion of the world's population who live in areas without the infrastructure for wireless or WiFi service. — Jackie Wattles, CNN, "SpaceX says most of its internet satellites are fully functional," 28 June 2019 Even if both players stay with the Warriors, both Durant and Thompson will miss significant portions of next season because of respective right Achilles and ACL injuries. — Mark Medina, The Mercury News, "Jimmer Fredette: ‘I would love to make the Golden State Warriors’," 28 June 2019 Abston used a significant portion of the food to feed inmates at the Pickens County Jail, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. — al.com, "What is indicted Pickens Co. sheriff doing on his mission trip to Brazil?," 27 June 2019 Research shows that a significant portion of people who become addicted to opioids started with a prescription after surgery. — STAT, "While addiction crisis raged, many surgeons overprescribed opioids, analysis shows," 21 June 2019 Unintentional injuries also accounted for a significant portion of deaths of younger children. — Tegan Hanlon, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska ranks 45th in the nation for children’s well-being, report says," 18 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

And consider pairing it with a 1-oz serving of dark chocolate, which is sold pre-portioned—so you're not temped to over do it. — Marygrace Taylor, Woman's Day, "4 Heart-Healthy Diet Changes Every Woman Should Make," 1 May 2019 Every ingredient is measured, portioned, and packaged, and the step-by-step instructions are easy to follow. — Glamour, "The 11 Best Healthy Food Delivery Services When You Just Can't With Grocery Shopping," 2 Jan. 2019 Every ingredient is measured, portioned, and packaged, and the step-by-step instructions are easy to follow. — Glamour, "The 11 Best Healthy Food Delivery Services When You Just Can't With Grocery Shopping," 2 Jan. 2019 Bingo, bongo—a rice bowl for dinner, and easy to portion out for meals for the week. — Alyse Whitney, Bon Appetit, "These Turkey Meatballs Are the Only Meal Prep I’ll Eat 3 Days in a Row," 11 June 2018 The Allen Institute’s partnerships net them only about forty a year, each of which is portioned for a half-dozen teams. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "The Heroes of Science Who Are Unlocking the Brain," 3 Oct. 2018 The practice of sending fish to China to be breaded, seasoned, portioned or packaged has grown in the past two decades, according to U.S. fishing groups. — Jesse Newman, WSJ, "Fish Caught in America, Processed in China Get Trapped by Trade Dispute," 9 Aug. 2018 However, the sea bass was generously portioned, hot and precisely cooked. — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, "With market, bakery and cafe, Oakland Chow bites off more than it can chew," 13 Apr. 2018 To portion out each cookie, scoop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough into your hands. — Tara Duggan, SFChronicle.com, "Recipe: Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies," 20 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'portion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.