piece 1 of 2

1
2
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production presented a new interpretation of the piece by Mozart

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
as in portion
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group believes his piece of the profits should be higher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piece

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word piece distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piece are division, fragment, member, part, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When is division a more appropriate choice than piece?

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

the manufacturing division of the company

When can fragment be used instead of piece?

While the synonyms fragment and piece are close in meaning, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Where would member be a reasonable alternative to piece?

In some situations, the words member and piece are roughly equivalent. However, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When might part be a better fit than piece?

The words part and piece can be used in similar contexts, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would portion be a good substitute for piece?

Although the words portion and piece have much in common, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When could section be used to replace piece?

The meanings of section and piece largely overlap; however, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can segment take the place of piece?

The words segment and piece are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 piece
Noun
The public offers a piece of its mind Mic's Celeste Katz discloses that Trump's controversial voter fraud panel won't let the public speak at its first meeting on July 19 but did solicit emails. The Hive, 14 July 2017 Alan Jacobs, a professor at Baylor University, has written eloquently about that last piece. Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 14 July 2017
Verb
Free agency is in the distant past, the NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror and, barring any major swerves, many fans are piecing team depth charts together with irrational confidence while anxiously waiting for Wednesday’s schedule release. Dan Pompei, New York Times, 12 May 2025 The former Saturday Night Live writer eventually pieced the puzzle together. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for piece
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piece
Noun
  • The ash contains tiny fragments that can damage lung tissue and cause respiratory illnesses, like silicosis.
    Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2025
  • Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer).
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Dense breasts don’t correlate with body or breast size—they’re a function of tissue composition, with more glandular and fibrous tissue and less fat.
    Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • The objective is to study the composition and origin of the domes and surroundings.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • After learning of the matter, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Bohn’s Woodbury home and found an unloaded firearm in a locked case in his garage, according to the complaint.
    Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 21 June 2025
  • In a search of the apartment, police recovered a Glock 19 Gen 5 firearm with an optic sight attached.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • Different portions of the vehicle illuminate then deactivate while the car is charging to give a visual countdown as to when the car is full of electrons and ready for the journey that awaits.
    Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • The Highlands Community Charter Schools’ student population in Sacramento serves a large portion Afghan refugees who do not speak English.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, a 1,000-megawatt facility built by Russia, has also been a focus of recent concern, Di Fulvio said.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 June 2025
  • The tension builds to a notorious final-act showdown in this Steve Shill film that has become internet meme royalty, with Beyoncé and Larter squaring off in one of the most over-the-top house fights ever filmed.
    Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • Of course, the piano does seem to be at least a little bit haunted by an ’80s pop star named Vision.
    Caroline Carlson June 30, Literary Hub, 30 June 2025
  • Joya had been allowed to pull the flouncy bit off her shoulders, like the singers in ABBA, but since my mother told me to keep covered, the top surrounded me sadly like a funereal wreath.
    Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • As described in a press release, the currently untitled work is set to give readers an unfiltered look into the Dipset co-founder’s rise from the streets of Harlem to the top of the rap game, and his evolution into a respected media personality, fashion figure, and businessman.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 25 June 2025
  • Small-scale research provides a sense of how larger-scale processes work, which are much more difficult to measure.
    Sarah Boon June 25, Literary Hub, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Along with the marijuana, police seized more than $500,000 in cash and six guns, according to the Facebook post.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2025
  • To be sure, Barrett has played a key part in dramatic rightward shifts in American law, voting to overrule Roe v. Wade, end affirmative action, limit the power of federal agencies, and expand the rights of gun owners.
    Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Piece.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piece. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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