as in incomplete
lacking some necessary part
the historical record of this pharaoh's life and reign is fragmentary at best
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Recent Examples of fragmentary
Rather, they have been written to capture, somehow, a complicated, fragmentary and/or vanishing story of great importance to the author.
—
Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
White’s fragmentary response forms the core of the story that was used to convict him.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Using a fragmentary, collage-like approach that unites characters from different eras, from the turn of the 20th century to the post–World World II era to the years of GDR rule and on to the present, Schilinski treats history like a constant haunting.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fragmentary
Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
White’s fragmentary response forms the core of the story that was used to convict him.
—Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Using a fragmentary, collage-like approach that unites characters from different eras, from the turn of the 20th century to the post–World World II era to the years of GDR rule and on to the present, Schilinski treats history like a constant haunting.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fragmentary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fragmentary
incomplete
Adjective
-
Hurts was incomplete on a last-gasp fourth-and-11 attempt with 43 seconds left that ended their final drive.—
Dan Gelston,
Twin Cities,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The Chargers moved the ball to the two and went for it on fourth down, but Justin Herbert's pass hit the turf incomplete.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fragmentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fragmentary. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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