portion 1 of 2

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
The details of the settlement haven’t been disclosed and some portions of the lawsuit remain unresolved. Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 Dinah Voyles Pulver An earthquake shook portions of north-central Iran near Tehran on Tuesday night. Joey Garrison, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Verb
My old colleague Peter Holderith tipped this off a few years ago, actually—that automakers should stop trying to cram every feature into one megascreen and portion them out into localized panels that group similar functions together. Adam Ismail, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026 Pre-portioning baskets from the start, setting a one-treat-per-day rule after Easter morning and donating or freezing the excess are the strategies parents are actually using. Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for portion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portion
Noun
  • The movies before this one, their destinies were so half-hazard.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 13 May 2026
  • The momentum is with them, even if Milan’s destiny is in their hands.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Despite missing the playoffs with a 42-40 record and flaming out of the Play-In Tournament against the Golden State Warriors, the Clippers did not have their own first-round pick, part of the cost for the 2019 swap of 2018 lottery pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 2019 MVP finalist Paul George.
    Law Murray, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • Mohammadi’s family said her health had been deteriorating in prison, in part because she was heavily beaten during her arrest.
    Sarah el Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • BuzzFeed announced the sale late Monday, saying Allen Family Digital had agreed to pay $3 apiece for 40 million shares, representing a 52% stake in the company.
    Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
  • Tell students not to click unexpected links, share codes or respond to scary messages without checking first.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • The first wave of Social Security payments for May is scheduled to be distributed this week, following a normal schedule.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 12 May 2026
  • But for the Christmas-week slate, when six of the 16 games were distributed via a premium platform, the league adheres closely to that 87% free model.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • The fate of the MV Hondius has sparked international alarm after three passengers died in an outbreak of the rare virus for which no vaccines or specific treatments exist.
    CBS News, CBS News, 12 May 2026
  • By the 1980s, however, many of the area’s mines and factories had closed and the slow withdrawal of the industries that built the place left Wrexham facing the same post-industrial fate that had decimated blue-collar communities all over the world.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Costa Mesa outdistanced Westlake by 53 points to claim its first section crown and highlight a record-setting second day of the section championships.
    Dan Albano, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
  • In 1980, 35 people were killed when a freighter rammed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay in Florida, causing a 1,300-foot section of the southbound span to collapse.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • But last month, as Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz disrupted exports from other nations, that proportion surged to 18%, Xu said.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
  • The study by loan marketplace LendingTree analyzed data from the Federal Highway Administration to rank each state by its proportion of miles in poor condition — pocked by potholes and uneven pavement, among other hazards.
    Rose Evans May 11, Idaho Statesman, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • In October, the state of Louisiana asked the 5th US Court of Appeals to reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
  • That changed during the COVID-19 pandemic — as telemedicine expanded dramatically, FDA began to allow mifepristone to be dispensed at a local pharmacy or through the mail.
    Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 7 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Portion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portion. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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