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 Caughill called family members who were able to coordinate picking the couple up from the scene of the fire. Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 25 Oct. 2025 Fences help quell cemetery misadventures At night, things are generally quiet in the cemeteries, according to Helen Fisicaro, a Colma city council member and former mayor who has lived in town since the 1970s. Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025 The film made around $320 million globally on a tiny $14 million budget, and garnered six Oscar nominations — including for Best Picture and acting nods for cast members Close and Anne Archer. Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025 Bianca Velasco, a member of the dance group, led the walk dressed as La Catrina, a skeletal figure tied to Day of the Dead. Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for member
Recent Examples of Synonyms for member
Noun
  • While the regulatory process for the nuclear components continues, construction on the non-nuclear portions of the site already began in June 2024.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Tens of thousands of components, built by different teams, have to function together perfectly.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The service was crisp, the portions were highly generous (don’t miss the breakfast buffet).
    Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Looking ahead, Rees said the North American consumer is bifurcated, with highly affluent shoppers in great financial shape and a large portion of customers at the lower end who are super cautious about their spending and buying closer to need.
    Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In reality, those layered elements are seamlessly built into one stylish piece.
    Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The very elements that saved Michelle’s life—structure, safety, mentorship, and faith—are absent from California’s Housing First mandate.
    Michele Steeb, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Trump had previously signaled openness to allowing Nvidia to sell its advanced Blackwell AI chip to China as part of his trade war truce with Beijing.
    Diane Brady, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The affair has become a part of a larger attack on Israel’s judiciary from Netanyahu’s coalition.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • In effect, farmers in rural America have warned of an impending economic crisis from the compounding factors of losing their top export market, falling crop prices and high costs.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Beyond the shock factor, Crow hopes her video inspires others with old jetted tubs to check theirs, and encourages empathy for people maintaining older homes.
    Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The novel’s composition is remarkable for the unusual way its eight sections tangentially revolve around the narrator, a West African man named Tunde.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • The Russian presence appears to have alienated large sections of Mali’s population.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • At the resort’s waterfront restaurant, Sally’s, holiday menus highlight coastal ingredients with festive accents.
    David Dickstein, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The ingredients list being as short as organic cacao, organic cane sugar and organic cacao butter, makes for the majority of the bars to be vegan-friendly and others keto-friendly with only being sweetened by monk fruit, a zero calorie sweetener.
    Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But what’s more important than the series is the multibillion-dollar ecosystem behind it — one that has taken less than three years to transform from a niche genre into Hollywood’s fastest growing segment of the entertainment machine, drawing in largely female audiences.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
  • The statement infuriated some members of the LGBTQ+ community — a sizable segment of her fan base — for whom Kirk was a loathsome and dangerous figure.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Member.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/member. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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