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
Relevance
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
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 nation’s court system has been ground zero for pushback to President Trump’s sweeping conservative agenda, with about 200 lawsuits filed challenging policies on everything from immigration to education to mass layoffs of federal workers.—
Lindsay Whitehurst,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
-
The nation’s court system has been ground zero for pushback to President Donald Trump’s sweeping conservative agenda, with about 200 lawsuits filed challenging policies on everything from immigration to education to mass layoffs of federal workers.—
Lindsay Whitehurst,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2025
Verb
-
Conforto, representing the tying run, pounded a 95.2 mph groundball for an inning-ending double play.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
9 May 2025
-
From April 3 to April 6, torrential rain pounded the Southeast, causing flooding that put more than 70 million people under flood alerts, killed at least 15, swept away cars and derailed a train.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
8 May 2025
Verb
-
Her crushing loss by Gauff in the semi-finals at Madrid was another indication that the Pole is still fighting herself in a trophyless 2025.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
All through it, the big wins, the crushing losses, the high-end drama and the 48 minutes of mundane, the Lakers followed Redick’s lead.—
Dan Woike,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Standing in front of black and white curtains, Abuja Area Mama powders her face.—
Damisola Sulaiman,
The Dial,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Rewind 12 months and the tussle at the top of the WTA Tour produced one of the most epic Madrid Open finals ever as Iga Swiatek beat Aryna Sabalenka in a match lasting over three hours.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
Plenty of Caribbean islands are known for their beaches, but blissfully beautiful Antigua beats them all.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
Once Connor Brown deposited the puck into the empty Los Angeles net and rejoiced, the Kings milled about the ice in a dazed and confused state.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
-
Heti’s writing is witty, reflective, and just bizarre enough to capture your interest even as people mill about in your peripheral vision.—
Bekah Waalkes,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
What had once been an airy hospital atrium was now a tangle of rebar and pulverized concrete.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
-
This upgraded Smart Stick model won’t purée and pulverize as quickly as the All-Clad, but the 300-watt motor and stainless-steel blades can still break down frozen smoothie ingredients.—
Emily Farris,
Bon Appétit,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The Void is able to disintegrate victims in a puff of shadow.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
2 May 2025
-
The pair were belly deep in the rapids by that point, while the nest continued to disintegrate around them.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Comminute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comminute. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share