1
as in disrupts
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
fractured his arm in the fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violates
to fail to keep
civil liberties that have been fractured by the government's actions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 fractures
Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 22 Jan. 2026
These pressures could produce a tsunami that fractures the state’s fiscal foundation, self-inflicts a crisis ultimately demanding drastic cuts, and cripples its competitiveness.
—Andrew Rein, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
The film’s emotional mirror — separation, misunderstanding, and the slow violence of misrepresentation — fractures its political one.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 19 Nov. 2025
Surviving Mormonism fractures the church’s seemingly perfect veneer to expose the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
While a tiny fraction of the quake’s energy (less than 1%) fractures rocks, up to 80% of it is transformed into heat.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
If the community fractures over which path to take, and no consensus emerges, adoption may be stalled.
—Korok Ray, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
As a result of the attack, the woman had three stab wounds to her left leg, one to her right leg, fractures to her left rib and right pinky finger, bruises, trauma to her left forearm, and blunt force injuries to her head and face, leaving both eyes swollen shut, the release said.
—Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
The Bolt intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) fractures calcium by creating acoustic pressure waves inside of a balloon catheter.
—Hang Nguyen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
The medical examiner also observed multiple rib fractures and a sternal fracture, the autopsy shows.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
Despite the victory, the partnership fractures off the ice.
—Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 22 Jan. 2026
These pressures could produce a tsunami that fractures the state’s fiscal foundation, self-inflicts a crisis ultimately demanding drastic cuts, and cripples its competitiveness.
—Andrew Rein, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
The film’s emotional mirror — separation, misunderstanding, and the slow violence of misrepresentation — fractures its political one.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 19 Nov. 2025
Surviving Mormonism fractures the church’s seemingly perfect veneer to expose the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
While a tiny fraction of the quake’s energy (less than 1%) fractures rocks, up to 80% of it is transformed into heat.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025
If the community fractures over which path to take, and no consensus emerges, adoption may be stalled.
—Korok Ray, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
As a result of the attack, the woman had three stab wounds to her left leg, one to her right leg, fractures to her left rib and right pinky finger, bruises, trauma to her left forearm, and blunt force injuries to her head and face, leaving both eyes swollen shut, the release said.
—Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
The Bolt intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) fractures calcium by creating acoustic pressure waves inside of a balloon catheter.
—Hang Nguyen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors determined that the colorful bird — belonging to the same family as crows and jays — had left quite a bit of damage, including multiple fractures in Montalva's left cheekbone and a rare fracture of the hyoid bone in her neck.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
The medical examiner also observed multiple rib fractures and a sternal fracture, the autopsy shows.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fractures
Verb
-
On the other hand, chronic sleep deprivation impairs attention, disrupts decision-making and alters the hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism.—
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Depriving children and young adults of social contact, structure, and meaningful engagement disrupts emotional regulation, impulse control, and decision-making, causing harm that can follow them long after release.—
Gladys Carrión,
New York Daily News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Because of this, Medeiros said, the question for many businesses becomes less about getting ICE to leave their property and more about what to do if ICE violates consent and other legal requirements.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Democratic senators from Oregon, New Mexico and Massachusetts asked Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores in a letter this month, saying that the mass generation of non-consensual sexualized images violates the stores’ distribution terms.—
Lola Murti,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The peak of Yosemite’s granite wall is higher than the tallest building in the world and requires climbers to navigate a maze of fissures, crevices and cracks.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The fatal shooting sparked demonstrations nationwide and has deepened fissures between federal and state officials.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And just seeing the damage there just breaks my heart.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
-
My heart breaks for her family.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If a player breaches a revenue-sharing agreement… ?—
Justin Williams,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
As a battle ensues, the matriarch of the Tulkuns breaches the water and attacks the enemy ship, also known as the factory ship.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
For any other animal, allowing body temperature to drop below freezing should result in the formation of ice crystals, which can cause dangerous ruptures to cells.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Is Bi commenting on the technological ruptures of the sound era?—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Research by one of us finds that strict land-use regulation induces developers to pursue smaller projects and ultimately fragments the building industry.—
Chris Elmendorf,
Mercury News,
5 Dec. 2025
-
Technology increasingly fragments our attention into smaller and smaller units, leaving us less anchored in our own lives.—
Arianna Huffington,
Fortune,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In 2022, Japanese researchers found that dogs produced tears when reuniting with their humans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Blum looked around, stunned with tears welling in her eyes.—
Aaron Sullivan,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fractures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fractures. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
