section 1 of 2

Definition of sectionnext
1
as in district
an area (as of a city) set apart for some purpose or having some special feature several abandoned warehouses in the city's industrial section are being converted into art galleries and artists' lofts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in portion
one of the pieces from which something is designed to be assembled had trouble fitting the sections of the bookcase together

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

section

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word section distinct from other similar nouns?

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

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can division take the place of section?

Although the words division and section have much in common, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is it sensible to use fragment instead of section?

The words fragment and section are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When is member a more appropriate choice than section?

While in some cases nearly identical to section, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When can part be used instead of section?

The synonyms part and section are sometimes interchangeable, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would piece be a good substitute for section?

The words piece and section can be used in similar contexts, but piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When could portion be used to replace section?

While the synonyms portion and section are close in meaning, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When might segment be a better fit than section?

In some situations, the words segment and section are roughly equivalent. However, 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 section
Noun
As a commentary in Thursday’s Opinion section detailed, polls show about half of Americans are deeply skeptical of the data centers springing up across the nation to supply the immense electricity needs of the rapidly booming artificial intelligence economy. U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2026 Inside the Alif Institute, fans packed into the Arab cultural center in Embry Hills with the fervor of a stadium’s fan section as two World Cup heavyweights, Morocco and Brazil, faced off to a 1-1 draw. Amna Subhan, AJC.com, 19 June 2026
Verb
Bailey is one of only eight O.C. football coaches to lead multiple schools to section titles. Dan Albano, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026 So, where does section 179 fit into all of this? Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for section
Recent Examples of Synonyms for section
Noun
  • That idea is a central part of the DCCC’s campaign to flip the district in the upcoming general election.
    Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
  • More importantly, Bores, who has a degree in computer science, made a name for himself as an advocate for AI regulation, and millions of dollars poured into the district both for and against him on the issue of regulation.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • The sheriff's office reopened portions of the investigation roughly three years ago, reviewing thousands of case files and conducting interviews with Mansfield with assistance from federal and state authorities.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
  • Temperatures will decline slightly Friday and Saturday across portions of the UK and France, but the more significant relief for these areas will come Sunday as the heat dome continues to shift eastward.
    Taylor Ward, CNN Money, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • The move also comes on the same day Angel City parted ways with head coach Alexander Strauss and traded rising star Kennedy Fuller to Bay FC.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
  • Instead of seeing that through, Sorsby put the controversy of him playing in 2026 to bed by parting ways with Texas Tech and entering the supplemental draft.
    Nick Harris June 18, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Kkj 2-Pack Casual Tank Tops Loose, breathable tank tops like these are ideal for summer trips to the zoo, evening walks around the neighborhood, or just lounging around at home.
    Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 23 June 2026
  • The divide is most prominent in the 10th Congressional District, which spans Lower Manhattan and brownstone neighborhoods of Brooklyn like Cobble Hill and Park Slope.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • There is no rush to do anything hasty to align with Pastrnak’s superstar segment.
    Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 20 June 2026
  • Chief financial officers also saw gains across every market segment.
    Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • By 58% to 42%, those surveyed said Americans were mostly separated by different values, not bound by shared ones.
    Susan Page, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • De la Espriella strikes reassuring tone With only a few hundred thousand votes separating the two candidates, De la Espriella used his victory speech to try to calm his critics.
    CBS News, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • However, the situation escalated, and officers from multiple zones had to be called in to help clear the area.
    Patrick Damp, CBS News, 20 June 2026
  • Linder said security personnel were operating in five zones throughout Saturday’s celebration, watching for suspicious activity and helping control access to the event area by unauthorized vendors.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • Rather than allowing operators to build national scale—which might create cost advantages that stabilize competition—regulation fragments the market into local fiefdoms where economies of scale are extraordinarily difficult to capture.
    Peter Su, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • The British electorate has fragmented.
    Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Section.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/section. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

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