splintered; splintering
ˈsplin-tə-riŋ 
-triŋ
2
: to split into fragments, parts, or factions
: to become splintered
Synonyms
Examples of splinter in a Sentence
Noun
I got a splinter in my finger.
There were splinters of glass everywhere.
Verb
The board splintered under his weight.
The impact of the crash splintered the glass.
groups that have splintered off to form new political movements
a political party that has been splintered by disagreements
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Recent Examples on the Web
Nor'adila Hepburn, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023
If the shelf weakens and splinters into icebergs, the dam will break, and the ice sheet on land will accelerate its slide into the ocean.
—WIRED, 27 Oct. 2023
In a swath of Gaza City's Yarmouk neighborhood reduced to splinters, a bleeding man hugged a child after both were dug out of the rubble.
—Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2023
Wear them while weeding, raking, planting, thatching, and scooping debris into yard waste bags to avoid punctures, scratches, splinters, and dirty fingernails.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2023
Other important features to consider are smooth surfaces that won't cause pinching, scraping, or splinters.
—Ashley Ziegler, Parents, 16 Oct. 2023
Florida's controversial new African American history standards have stirred up strong reactions among political leaders, even leading to splinters within the Republican party in Florida.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2023
Even the firsthand accounts gathered from eyewitnesses and survivors are mere splinters from the great wreckage of humanity in the Europe of the 1940s.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 20 July 2023
But millions in Morocco felt the planet shake and splinter, jolt and disintegrate, before thousands of the most unfortunate were greeted by tectonic rage.
—Robin George Andrews, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2023
Richard Gowan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Nov. 2023
Raw meat carries a risk of exposure to salmonella and E. coli that could make your pet sick, and bones could splinter and cause injury to your pet.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023
The September Berkeley poll found that support from Democratic voters splintered among Schiff, Porter and Lee, possibly clearing a path for a consensus Republican candidate to finish in the top two.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
Prevent splintering by rubbing WD-40 into the wood and make your tools last longer.
—Nina Derwin, Redbook, 17 Aug. 2023
House Republicans, who are in the majority, are splintered about whether the U.S. should send more aid to Ukraine, while support for it is broader within the Democratic Party.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner, 20 Nov. 2023
The bullet shattered the back of his skull, splintering it into 36 pieces.
—Liz Szabo, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2023
The cockpit is edged in Kevlar, which won’t splinter like the carbon-fiber hull if there’s a crash.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2023
The new date coincides with the time when Nuna began to splinter, thinning along the geologic sutures where earlier continents had collided, Dr. Olierook said.
—Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023
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Noun
It’s made from a canvas material and is propped up by wood poles that are sanded down to prevent them from getting splinters.
—Nor'adila Hepburn, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023
If the shelf weakens and splinters into icebergs, the dam will break, and the ice sheet on land will accelerate its slide into the ocean.
—WIRED, 27 Oct. 2023
In a swath of Gaza City's Yarmouk neighborhood reduced to splinters, a bleeding man hugged a child after both were dug out of the rubble.
—Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2023
Wear them while weeding, raking, planting, thatching, and scooping debris into yard waste bags to avoid punctures, scratches, splinters, and dirty fingernails.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2023
Other important features to consider are smooth surfaces that won't cause pinching, scraping, or splinters.
—Ashley Ziegler, Parents, 16 Oct. 2023
Florida's controversial new African American history standards have stirred up strong reactions among political leaders, even leading to splinters within the Republican party in Florida.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2023
Even the firsthand accounts gathered from eyewitnesses and survivors are mere splinters from the great wreckage of humanity in the Europe of the 1940s.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 20 July 2023
But millions in Morocco felt the planet shake and splinter, jolt and disintegrate, before thousands of the most unfortunate were greeted by tectonic rage.
—Robin George Andrews, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2023
Verb
The effects are clearest in the General Assembly, where the coalition of states that previously backed Ukraine has splintered over Gaza.
—Richard Gowan, Foreign Affairs, 9 Nov. 2023
Raw meat carries a risk of exposure to salmonella and E. coli that could make your pet sick, and bones could splinter and cause injury to your pet.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023
The September Berkeley poll found that support from Democratic voters splintered among Schiff, Porter and Lee, possibly clearing a path for a consensus Republican candidate to finish in the top two.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
Prevent splintering by rubbing WD-40 into the wood and make your tools last longer.
—Nina Derwin, Redbook, 17 Aug. 2023
House Republicans, who are in the majority, are splintered about whether the U.S. should send more aid to Ukraine, while support for it is broader within the Democratic Party.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner, 20 Nov. 2023
The bullet shattered the back of his skull, splintering it into 36 pieces.
—Liz Szabo, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2023
The cockpit is edged in Kevlar, which won’t splinter like the carbon-fiber hull if there’s a crash.
—Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 28 Sep. 2023
The new date coincides with the time when Nuna began to splinter, thinning along the geologic sutures where earlier continents had collided, Dr. Olierook said.
—Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'splinter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Middle Dutch; akin to Middle Low German splinte splint
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of splinter was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing splinter
Dictionary Entries Near splinter
Cite this Entry
“Splinter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/splinter. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
splinter
1 of 2 noun
splin·ter
ˈsplint-ər
: a thin piece split or torn off lengthwise : sliver
splinter
adjective
splinter
2 of 2 verb
splintered; splintering
ˈsplint-ə-riŋ
ˈsplin-triŋ
: to divide or break into splinters
Medical Definition
splinter
noun
splin·ter
ˈsplint-ər
: a thin piece (as of wood) split or broken off lengthwise
especially
: such a piece embedded in the skin
used tweezers to remove a splinter
More from Merriam-Webster on splinter
Nglish: Translation of splinter for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of splinter for Arabic Speakers
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