part 1 of 3

Definition of partnext

part

2 of 3

adverb

part

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to separate
to go or move in different directions from a central point after traveling together for three weeks, we parted at Rome

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How is the word part distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of part are division, fragment, member, piece, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

In what contexts can division take the place of part?

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

the manufacturing division of the company

When might fragment be a better fit than part?

The words fragment and part are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When could member be used to replace part?

While in some cases nearly identical to part, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When would piece be a good substitute for part?

Although the words piece and part have much in common, piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

Where would portion be a reasonable alternative to part?

The synonyms portion and part are sometimes interchangeable, but portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When is section a more appropriate choice than part?

While the synonyms section and part are close in meaning, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

When is it sensible to use segment instead of part?

In some situations, the words segment and part are roughly equivalent. 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 part
Noun
The sequence is part Her Smell, part Hedwig, all Lestat. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 8 June 2026 But Adam Carter Rehmeier‘s thriller, like many a good B-movie, adds up to more than the sum of its parts, with star power and star chemistry its major elevating, unquantifiable factors. Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 June 2026
Adverb
The enclosed chamber offers very good heat regulation with an extruder fan, a part-cooling fan, an auxiliary part-cooling fan, and a fan to regulate the chamber. PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2025 François Girard’s take — part mysterious, part mystifying — on Wagner’s last opera is one of the Met’s most interesting productions of the last decade or so, and returns for the first time since its premiere in 2013. David Allen, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2018
Verb
The actress styled her hair straight and parted down the middle and went with bold eye makeup and subtle lipstick. Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026 None of this is good for BSO in a year when Deerfield Beach decided to part ways with the sheriff, largely over Tony’s my-way-or-the-highway style. Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for part
Recent Examples of Synonyms for part
Noun
  • The memorial is made up of a garden with 50 granite steps leading to a massive tablet carved with a portion of his inauguration address from 1961.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
  • Blanche said later at the hearing that the DOJ wasn't abandoning the tax portion of the settlement.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Nilsson’s version shares little with its source beyond Adam and Eve themselves, here recast as doughy, beigy silhouettes striking poses amid an almost psychedelic soup of parti-color fronds, blobs, and amoebas.
    Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • Impressions, ad value equivalency and share of voice were artifacts of an analog era.
    Parry Headrick, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • De Vie The hyper-seasonal, nose-to-tail dishes at De Vie are designed to pair alongside cocktails crafted from French and housemade spirits, and the nonalcoholic versions play just as large a role in the restaurant and bar’s living laboratory of infusions and tinctures.
    Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
  • As soon as Luca de Meo took on the CEO role at Kering in September, he was convinced that luxury’s next chapter should include a strong dialogue between cultures.
    Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • So how did Breslow land on Durbin as the target as opposed to, say, another infielder with more power but less defense?
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • In it, a Native Hawaiian family struggles to reclaim the ancestral lands that colonization, tourism, and rampant development threaten to overrun.
    Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Adverb
  • These are strange, dream-like stories that give the reader a feeling of meeting the characters halfway through their journeys, sometimes with no beginning or end.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
  • Tabbed a Colts starter as a rookie, hamstring and quadriceps ailments shut him down halfway through that initial professional campaign.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • What separates Babylonstoren from the many, many wineries and exceptional hotels in and around the Winelands though is its 12-acre garden, designed by French garden architect Patrice Taravella, that has since been nurtured and nourished by an incredible team of landscapists and horticulturists.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • Graphix, June 2 Recommended for ages 9-12 Longtime stepsisters Kenzie and Quinn are closer than close—but with their parents considering divorce, the girls face the awful possibility of being separated.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • That stands in contrast to the Nasdaq, which has already moved to fast-track SpaceX's inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index, leading to concerns that new retail investors could become the cash cow of exit liquidity for legacy SpaceX shareholders.
    Katie Foley, CNBC, 5 June 2026
  • In the production, directed by Jo Bonney, Susanna arrives there before realizing what has happened, a scene change that moves briskly enough to surprise you in the audience too.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 June 2026
Verb
  • It’s divided into five romances.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • The price-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing the stock price by the consensus 12-months earnings projections on FactSet.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 3 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Part.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/part. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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