atoms

noun

plural of atom
as in particles
a very small piece give me just one atom of information about the novel's surprise ending

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 atoms Inside its rigid crystal structure, tiny missing carbon atoms or foreign elements form defects called color centers. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026 Following the big bang, ultraviolet radiation from these early light sources stripped electrons from hydrogen atoms, the most common element in space, allowing light to travel farther and changing how galaxies formed. — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026 In a superfluid, quantum mechanics coordinates the way different atoms move, letting the liquid flow with no friction at all. — Matthew Von Hippel, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atoms
  1. particles
  2. specks
  3. molecules
  4. bits
  5. flecks
  6. grains
  7. scraps
  8. snippets
Noun
  • Earning a ghostly reputation by avoiding gravity and nuclear forces, these abundant particles stream through us daily without leaving a single trace.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The dark particles coat white snow and soak up heat from the sun, exacerbating melting that was already happening more quickly because of climate change.
    — Connie Hanzhang Jin, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of particles
Noun
  • The source was generally in good condition, but mold spots and dense clusters of small white specks required careful treatment.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Breakouts can look like milder, painless white bumps or dark specks known as whiteheads and blackheads, or more painful red bumps and deeper cysts — a mark of cystic acne.
    — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of specks
Noun
  • The primordial puddle also has other molecules, simpler raw ingredients that can, under the correct circumstances, be turned into more of themselves.
    — Perri Thaler, Quanta Magazine, 10 Nov. 2026
  • In the intermediate stage sugar molecules are dehydrated and degraded, along with amino acids.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of molecules
Noun
  • Physicists can read and alter their spin states with laser light, creating stable bits of quantum information.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Toss with a fork or your hands to distribute, then knead dough in bowl a couple of times to bring together (some dry bits may remain).
    — Joe Sevier, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of bits
Noun
  • The oversized jacket featured a furry white base adorned with flecks of silver, which beautifully mirrored the sumptuous coats on the runway.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Add the torn basil and process just until incorporated -- there will be flecks of green in the mixture.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of flecks
Noun
  • The modeling suggested to Protopapa’s team that 3I/ATLAS was composed of sub-micron grains of dirty water-ice, rich in dust.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Natural wild rice grains are a mix of earthy hues and cook in 20 minutes or less.
    — Tovar Cerulli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of grains
Noun
  • Now, students collect and weigh their scraps, and Lovin's master gardener takes them to the bin outdoors.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • There are scraps of industrial, cybergrind, metalcore, and death metal in this stew, as well as a healthy garnish of Godflesh’s machinelike relentlessness, all of it well balanced.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of scraps
Noun
  • Listen to snippets of the album and hear about how Taupin has been able to keep his and John's relationship so strong.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Personalities are sketched only in the margins, mostly via brief snippets of chatter between rounds of gunfire.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of snippets

Browse Nearby Words

atomizing
atoms
atonal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Atoms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atoms. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of lissome

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All