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
As part of her release conditions, she has been ordered to stay away from her 13-year-old daughter while the criminal case proceeds. Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 14 July 2026 Adebayo and Herro spent the last seven seasons as Heat teammates before Herro was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks this summer as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 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’ wavy locks were parted to one side, drawing attention to her face, which featured soft glam. Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026 The clouds begin to part The clouds of grief and sorrow that had enveloped Gounder with the approach of the World Cup were dispersed by the bright orange sun of a New York Knicks championship, the team’s first in 53 years. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for part
Recent Examples of Synonyms for part
Noun
  • James McConnell The 21-year-old central midfielder returned to action at the end of last season, playing for the under-21s and training with the first team after an injury kept him out of action for a large portion of the campaign.
    Andy Jones, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Students are expected to return to the building when classes begin in August, although portions of the project will continue through most of November.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores.
    Mark Cooper, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • And Kimmel’s show has taken a greater share of audience since CBS canceled Colbert’s show in May.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 13 July 2026
Noun
  • Western analysts have raised concerns that Beijing’s expanding role setting global norms around AI will enable it to export the norms of its own highly restrictive media and internet environment.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • The role carried special meaning because of her Greek heritage.
    Andrea Clement, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • But World Cup tourists from other lands have taken in more than just the food and the size.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • Municipal leaders estimate cities and towns have lost $19 billion in property taxes over the past decade as nonprofits acquired more land and buildings.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026
Adverb
  • The house sauce is a ketchup, mayo and whole grain mustard combination, halfway between fry sauce and Thousand Island.
    Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • The upper stage, sometimes referred to simply as 'Ship, then used its own six Raptor engines to fly halfway around the world before landing and exploding as expected in the Indian Ocean.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Japan’s government separated the two traditions of Shinto and Buddhism in 1868 during the Meiji era, effectively bringing Shinto shrines under state control and placing the emperor at the center of the new order.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Knowing their days of bloodline privilege are numbered, the German and the French aristocrat bond, their class affinities binding them more tightly than the uniforms that separate them.
    Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • Trump then took the microphone and moved the conversation onto Balogun’s red card.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Turkey moved fastest, deploying troops to its base and airlifting food within days, a role that also nudged Ankara's own reading of the Gulf.
    Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • Instead, the county approved a four-site plan that excludes Midland while also eliminating Sunday voting — another issue that had divided the board during lengthy negotiations.
    Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
  • Nolan divides the sacking of Troy into two lengthy sequences, both shot under cover of darkness but edited (by Jennifer Lame) with a magisterial clarity.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Part.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/part. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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