Definition of portionnext

portion

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word portion distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of portion are destiny, doom, fate, and lot. While all these words mean "a predetermined state or end," portion implies the apportioning of good and evil.

remorse was his daily portion

When might destiny be a better fit than portion?

The synonyms destiny and portion are sometimes interchangeable, but destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end.

the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world

In what contexts can doom take the place of portion?

Although the words doom and portion have much in common, doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate.

if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain

When could fate be used to replace portion?

The meanings of fate and portion largely overlap; however, fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome.

the fate of the submarine is unknown

How are the words lot and portion related?

Both lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance.

it was her lot to die childless

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 portion
Noun
Winner may not substitute, assign or transfer Prize or redeem Prize for cash, but Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute Prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value. AJC.com, 13 July 2026 About 300 people, many of them former high school classmates, were concentrated on their portion of the island. Mark Guarino, ABC News, 13 July 2026
Verb
Their final shape, round and big as racquetballs, came together when Dale portioned the dough balls into a silicone half-dome mold. Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 2 June 2026 For example, if instructors are demonstrating how to make lasagna, the final product gets portioned out, frozen and distributed through the pantry. Sara Bedigian, Hartford Courant, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for portion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portion
Noun
  • Soccer destiny then deemed that her baby boy, who would become a star for Barcelona some 15 years later, was paired up with the Argentine who would become one of the greatest of all time.
    Joseph Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
  • And however much destiny may have been at work, Ivanišević was leaving nothing to chance.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Noun
  • Occasional spikiness has always been a part of his personality.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • The blaze at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, the city’s deadliest in 17 years, broke out late Sunday in a northern part of the Thai capital.
    ABC News, ABC 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
Verb
  • Highline Warren manufactures and distributes aftermarket products for automotive maintenance.
    Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
  • Beta is distributing internationally and Indigo Film is producing in collaboration with Rai Fiction.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 16 July 2026
Noun
  • Reading Europe’s fate through the lives of two French sisters in a famous impressionist portrait.
    Luke Lyman, Washington Post, 13 July 2026
  • Families torn apart The disaster has led to a particularly complex situation for those children who were separated from parents whose fate remains unclear.
    Osmary Hernández, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Noun
  • Alberto Briseno, a section chief for ICE's Homeland Security Investigations, wrote in a declaration that ICE personnel deleted the file after it was discovered and it was not used for law enforcement purposes.
    Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 17 July 2026
  • There was disappointment among sections of the fanbase that Neave was not given more of an opportunity over the run-in, especially given how Woltemade and Wissa struggled.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • According to Deloitte's 2026 State of AI in the Enterprise, 58% of organizations are using physical AI to at least a limited degree, a proportion expected to grow to 80% over the next two years.
    Beena Ammanath, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • For those not ready to commit to full goddess proportions, the takeaway is less about achieving exact lengths and more about natural texture and movement.
    Lauren Valenti, InStyle, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • Over that period, affiliates dispensed about 25% fewer packs of birth control pills and conducted about 20% fewer breast cancer exams than the previous year.
    Geoff Mulvihill, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Specialty drugs come from the wave of new biologic medicines and other prescriptions not dispensed in the traditional pharmacy like pills, capsules and tablets typically picked up at Walgreens or CVS Health drugstores.
    Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Portion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portion. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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