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
Jafri also regularly donates portions of art sales to charity. Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Lasso’s companion for Biscuits with the Boss sold a portion of the team to the public and heard a pitch from her best friend, PR extraordinaire Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), about a women's team. Erin Jensen, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
Each dish is wonderfully prepared and portioned. Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for portion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portion
Noun
  • Ella Rubin seems to have always known an actor’s life was her destiny.
    Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The themes are about honor and destiny; there are massively violent battle scenes; one character ends up with the entire back half of his skull bashed in.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In the neighborhood, which is actually the oldest part of Prague, there are mostly residential buildings, embassies, and local offices.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • And Art the Clown’s mime-of-mayhem harlequin ghoulishness is part of the extremity.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Palantir shares, which had fallen roughly 30% this year after a blistering rally in 2025, surged more than 14% in after-hours trading Monday following the results.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Amazon shares gained 4% and hit a new all-time high on Monday, putting its market cap over the $3 trillion threshold for the first time following a better-than-expected earnings report last week.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This was some 50 pallets containing more than 150,000 pieces of athletic gear – 6,500 pairs of shoes alone – all of which had to be sorted by team and distributed across campus in less than a month.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The power also gave the Kittrells' son the right to revoke the Children's Trust and distribute all the assets to the Kittrells.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Hollywood appears to be divided between those who are adamant that the merger will destroy a legacy studio while harming workers and others (including inside the companies) fearing a potentially worse fate if the deal is blocked.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But whatever a judge decides, the ballot box is where the fate of Proposition 39 rests.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • As in other Kochi synagogues, the women’s section is upstairs.
    ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Edo joined thousands of friends and followers in Eugenie’s comment section, sharing three pink hearts and an angel baby emoji.
    Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Rooms No two suites are alike, their proportions and personalities dictated by the quirks of the original buildings, but all claim equally lovely views.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Occasionally, a near-identical decision draws public anger, employee resentment, or regulatory attention far out of proportion to the deal.
    ESMT Berlin, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Instead, the provider manages gas sourcing, compression, transportation, storage, and dispensing through a single service.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Utilities use them to trip the opening or closing of valves when water levels reach a certain threshold or to dispense precise amounts of chlorine in the treatment process.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Portion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portion. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on portion

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster