part 1 of 3

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
Authorities described the incident as heroic on the part of the deputy but tragic for the family. Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025 As for glam, Lawerence, who was styled by Jamie Mizrahi, favored the now-viral 2025 New York Fashion Week side part. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
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
Even her ex, Tom Cruise, is, and the two didn’t really part on great terms. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 16 Oct. 2025 Under the trees was dense foliage that occasionally parted to reveal a bird, langur, or cheetal, which reassured him in the stillness of the empty road. Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for part
Recent Examples of Synonyms for part
Noun
  • Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a large portion of Iran's ballistic missile arsenal was destroyed during the first hours of the aerial attacks.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • After battling two years of slowly deteriorating vision, Charton was able to claw back a small portion of her lost world.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The Qatari company also owns a 25% share of the International Airlines Group, the parent of British Airways, Spain’s Iberia, Ireland’s Aer Lingus and other, lower-cost carriers.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The five companies with the largest share of SNAP recipient households on their payrolls in Arkansas were Walmart, McDonald's, Dollar General, Sonic and Tyson Foods.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The transformation comes approximately three years after going blonde for her role in the movie musical.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The training will cover key roles, including line producing, location management, post production supervision, production accounting, being an assistant director, being a production assistant, being a production coordinator, and script supervising.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Advertisement Restoring degraded land offers similar payoffs.
    Kaveh Zahedi, Time, 3 Nov. 2025
  • For instance, the Bangladesh delta, one of the most fertile and densely populated areas in the world, is already experiencing problems, including salinity intrusion, rising sea levels and the loss of arable land.
    Pintu Kumar Mahla, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Step onto the porch in an oversize T-shirt that hangs down to my knees and mismatched socks that come halfway up my calves.
    Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Mix the Solution Fill a spray bottle halfway with vodka, then top it off with water.
    Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Yet, asked specifically about the fine hairs separating the top three undefeated teams in this first ranking, Mack Rhoades, the committee chair and athletic director at Baylor, sounded like a man torn between numbers and gut feelings.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
  • For her part, BunnaB, beloved for her infectious, near-constant laughs, has separated herself from this ascendant pack by infusing her bubbly disposition, girl’s girl attitude, unfettered authenticity — and the unmistakable gravity of earning a second shot.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The buttery-soft fabric is lightweight and stretchy enough to move with you while still retaining its shape over time.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
  • On top of that responsibility and stress, he was frustrated with the Blazers’ losing and his role moving forward.
    Jason Quick, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Qianlong took a page from the design of private gardens in southern China to make the layout more compact, and divided the site into four connected courtyards, two of which are currently open to the public, from south to north.
    Fred He, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Engineers divide conventional aircraft into three main lightning zones.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Part.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/part. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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