Synonyms of fragment

fragment 1 of 2

verb

ˈfrag-ˌment 

as in to disrupt

to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly

you can fragment that peanut brittle easily, but how it breaks is basically up to the brittle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disrupt
• fracture
• break
• disintegrate
• destroy
• reduce
• shatter
• dismember
• ruin
• break up
• split
• bust
• smash
• rive
• powder
• crush
• burst
• blast
• wreck
• chip
• crack
• pulverize
• explode
• grind
• detonate
• blow up
• pop
• atomize
• splinter
• sliver
• shiver
• implode

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• patch
• reconstruct
• repair
• rebuild
• fix
• heal
• mend
• renovate
• doctor
• recondition

fragment

2 of 2

noun

ˈfrag-mənt 

as in piece

a broken or irregular part of something that often remains incomplete

charred fragments of the exploded rocket were scattered over a huge area of ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

• piece
• fraction
• bit
• scrap
• remnant
• portion
• shard
• sliver
• shred
• segment
• splinter
• remainder
• stub
• section
• molecule
• tatter
• leftover
• flake
• atom
• snippet
• chip
• patch
• grain
• particle
• shatter
• speck
• clipping
• granule
• fleck
• cantle
• crumb
• end
• mote
• nugget
• shaving
• paring
• morsel
• shiver
• snip
• tittle
• dribble
• oddment
• scruple
• flyspeck
• nubbin

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fragment distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of fragment are division, member, part, piece, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When would division be a good substitute for fragment?

The meanings of division and fragment largely overlap; however, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is it sensible to use member instead of fragment?

While the synonyms member and fragment are close in meaning, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

Where would part be a reasonable alternative to fragment?

The words part and fragment are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When can piece be used instead of fragment?

In some situations, the words piece and fragment are roughly equivalent. However, piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When could portion be used to replace fragment?

Although the words portion and fragment have much in common, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When is section a more appropriate choice than fragment?

The synonyms section and fragment are sometimes interchangeable, but section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

When might segment be a better fit than fragment?

While in some cases nearly identical to fragment, segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fragment

Verb

Ironically, the concerns Ferguson once raised about fragmenting communities such as Baltimore City are an inevitable consequence if the measure passes. — Yuripzy Morgan, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026

The Faults of Modern Job Searches Over the course of the past several years, as technology has continued to evolve, the hiring process has become increasingly fragmented. — William Jones, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026

Noun

Drones or fragments of them were found on Romanian territory 27 times so far this year, the ministry said, a significant increase compared with the 16 such discoveries in all of 2025. — David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026

As the Danube waters shrank in Bulgaria, researchers were thrilled to find and recover a jawbone, tusks, a shoulder blade, ribs and other bone fragments belonging to an extinct woolly mammoth buried deep in the sand. — CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026