Synonyms of piece

piece 1 of 2

noun

ˈpēs 

1

as in fragment

a broken or irregular part of something that often remains incomplete

a piece of stone fell from the crumbling wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fragment
• bit
• fraction
• scrap
• remnant
• portion
• sliver
• shard
• shred
• section
• segment
• remainder
• leftover
• stub
• splinter
• patch
• speck
• tatter
• snippet
• grain
• molecule
• flake
• particle
• chip
• fleck
• nugget
• crumb
• clipping
• cantle
• end
• morsel
• shaving
• paring
• atom
• shatter
• mote
• dribble
• tittle
• snip
• granule
• oddment
• shiver
• scruple
• flyspeck
• nubbin

2

as in composition

a literary, musical, or artistic production

presented a new interpretation of the piece by Mozart

Synonyms & Similar Words

• composition
• work
• opus
• masterpiece
• number
• sketch
• showpiece
• classic
• magnum opus
• model
• outline
• étude
• pièce de résistance
• oeuvre
• corpus
• canon

3

as in firearm

a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder

carrying a piece under his coat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• firearm
• gun
• rifle
• arm
• pistol
• small arm
• handgun
• revolver
• shotgun
• heat
• musket
• zip gun
• rod
• machine gun
• machine pistol
• tommy gun
• derringer
• fieldpiece
• gat
• blunderbuss
• flintlock
• submachine gun
• firelock
• smoothbore
• breechloader
• semiautomatic
• matchlock
• six-shooter
• carbine
• assault rifle
• roscoe
• assault weapon
• sidearm
• harquebus
• culverin
• repeater
• six-gun
• automatic
• speargun
• forty-five
• self-loader
• twenty-two
• AK-47

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

• portion
• part
• share
• proportion
• percentage
• slice
• quota
• allowance
• allotment
• cut
• piece of the action
• end
• take
• section
• ration
• segment
• commission
• lot
• member
• partition

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• total
• sum
• compound
• whole
• pool
• aggregate
• composite
• totality

piece

2 of 2

verb

as in to build

to form by putting together parts or materials

you might want to piece together a quilt from those odd patches of cloth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• build
• construct
• assemble
• make
• found
• create
• design
• erect
• set up
• fabricate
• manufacture
• make up
• produce
• rear
• put together
• put up
• shape
• confect
• establish
• frame
• raise
• fashion
• coin
• mold
• carpenter
• hammer
• rebuild
• generate
• organize
• forge
• concoct
• handcraft
• devise
• invent
• reconstruct
• imagine
• originate
• institute
• prefabricate
• father
• constitute
• begin
• reassemble
• innovate
• conceive
• initiate
• retrofit
• think (up)
• inaugurate
• combine
• cook (up)
• redevelop
• contrive
• throw up
• reedify
• rig (up)
• unite
• jerry-build

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strike
• take down
• dismantle
• tear down
• destroy
• disassemble
• level
• knock down
• ruin
• pull down
• dismember
• wreck
• smash
• flatten
• pulverize
• demolish
• shatter
• blow up
• raze
• devastate
• separate
• explode
• detach
• divide
• demount
• disengage
• disconnect
• ruinate
• disjoin
• disunite

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

Recent Examples of piece

Noun

The pivot could have been toward Morant or some other talent that some/all in that brain trust consortium identified as a piece to get the roster over the top, instead the ongoing Sisyphean task of pushing the boulder up the play-in mountain. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026

This piece leans into the jewelry aspect of watch-making, exuding a sense of opulence perfect for a night out. —John Monaco, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026

Verb

The proof comes from an international effort; among the investigators were scientists from the University of Wollongong (UOW) who helped piece the puzzle together. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Dec. 2025

Researchers are currently piecing the story together, one experiment at a time, rather than proving out every step sequentially in the same set of organisms. —Ivan Amato, Quanta Magazine, 22 Dec. 2025

Phrases Containing piece

• museum piece
• of a piece
• piece by piece
• piece of cake
• piece of the action
• piece of work