Definition of membernext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word member distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of member are division, fragment, part, piece, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

In what contexts can division take the place of member?

While in some cases nearly identical to member, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is fragment a more appropriate choice than member?

Although the words fragment and member have much in common, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When is it sensible to use part instead of member?

The words part and member 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 would piece be a good substitute for member?

While the synonyms piece and member are close in meaning, piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

Where would portion be a reasonable alternative to member?

In some situations, the words portion and member are roughly equivalent. However, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When can section be used instead of member?

The words section and member can be used in similar contexts, but section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

When might segment be a better fit than member?

The meanings of segment and member largely overlap; however, 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

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 member There are normally no checks at borders between members of the EU’s internal Schengen Area, though they can be introduced for a limited time in exceptional circumstances. CNN Money, 31 July 2026 Only two city council members and the mayor have commented on Juliana’s case or the police transparency around it. Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026 Billerica Select Board member Daniel Darris-O'Connor was having an ice cream social campaign event at a store in the mall at the time. Tammy Mutasa, CBS News, 31 July 2026 Even so, Whitaker said Thursday that only about two dozen board members asked for tickets. Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for member
Recent Examples of Synonyms for member
Noun
  • Legislators and industry lobbyists alike are seeing that preemption is a losing issue among voters, making preemption one of the most difficult components of a federal AI package to pass.
    Caleb Knapp, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Repacking atoms To see how different a material can look and feel depending on how its atoms are packed, think about the element carbon, one of Earth’s most common elements and an important component of all living organisms.
    Robin Macaluso, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • James' decision to run for governor left open his seat in the 10th District, which includes a portion of Oakland County and stretches across conservative communities in Macomb County.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Temperatures reached at least 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for five consecutive days in some areas in late July, the country’s longest such streak on record, and heatstroke alerts have repeatedly covered large portions of the country.
    Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The introduction of liquid glass has led to larger, more graphical elements that have taken over in terms of clarity and ease of use.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • To explain its results, RealorRender identifies the suspicious regions of images as heatmaps (grids of colored squares indicating intensity, as with topographical maps) and segments of contiguous image elements.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In the neighborhood, which is actually the oldest part of Prague, there are mostly residential buildings, embassies, and local offices.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • And Art the Clown’s mime-of-mayhem harlequin ghoulishness is part of the extremity.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Sleep, diet and other factors can cause regular fluctuations for men.
    Kathleen Felton, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2026
  • One possible factor for the influx is a recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling that eased deportation rules for migrants entering Ceuta or Melilla.
    Miguel Macias, NPR, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Garwood, a supervisory civil engineer in the stormwater section of Overland Park’s Public Works Department, was conducting the city’s regular inspection of the South Park Lake dam.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • The live chat will take place in the comments section below on site and in the PEOPLE App.
    Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Noun
  • Servers are quick to help navigate the offbeat descriptions and ingredients.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026
  • They are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, route of administration, and quality standards.
    Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 2 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • There’s even hope within CBS News that such segments can help the division reach new crowds.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The first path is probably obvious and will no doubt be the source of every preseason TV segment about USC.
    Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Member.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/member. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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