section 1 of 2

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

Relevance
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
This time last year, Hayley, 57, was sectioned and admitted to a psychiatric unit. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025 But in your view, how big of an impact does section 899 have on the international discussion? Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
The deadly shooting occurred on a street in the Brownsville section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn near the 73rd Precinct station house, where the suspect slashed an officer with a knife that authorities said had a 14-inch blade, according to police. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025 Paradise City Sales arrives in Toronto from Venice with a packed fall sales line-up which includes Lebanese Cyril Aris’ romance A Sad and Beautiful World, which has just premiered in Venice parallel section Giornate degli Autori (previously known as Venice Days), winning the Audience Award. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for section
Recent Examples of Synonyms for section
Noun
  • Only 127 of Indiana's 351 public school districts — or 36% — submitted mandatory injury data for the statewide report.
    IndyStar, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The upset in a district long considered safe for Republicans has given Democrats a rare reason for optimism and a new pitch to national donors that Iowa deserves another look.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Parts of it would be carved up and grafted onto surrounding Democratic-leaning districts, and a significant portion would be added to a new Latino-majority seat in central Los Angeles County, basically leaving Calvert with a viable district from which to seek reelection.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Copeland is the fourth Republican candidate to signal an intention to run for the party's nomination in House District 5, which includes a portion of Boone County.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The model's dark hair was parted exactly in the center, then pulled up and back in a tight style reminiscent of the perfectly precise buns worn by prima ballerinas.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Earlier this month, KG and JYP USA announced that both parties had settled the lawsuit and parted amicably.
    Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • At the top, riders also step directly into the heart of the Bairro Alto neighborhood, famous for its nightlife and its historic streets.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This hilltop neighborhood, capped by the white-domed Sacré-Cœur basilica, was once a muse for artists like Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec.
    Elissa Garay, AFAR Media, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • It's been incorporated into a cylindrical robotic arm segment called the ProTac link, although it could also be used in other body parts.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Every cooking segment, garden scene, or note-writing interlude links back to As Ever.
    Sophia A. Nelson, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • With more devices brought into Michigan classrooms in recent years, educators have found ways to separate students from their phones during class time.
    Clara Hendrickson, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Formed from a $46 billion merger, the food company is expected to separate in the second half of 2026.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Kipona Festival is held annually and includes Native foods, crafts, dances, music, vendors, and a family fun zone, according to the city’s website.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
  • In that setting, Kelluu will demonstrate how its endurance and GNSS-denied navigation capabilities could support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in contested zones.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Opposition Struggles and Future Scenarios Across the aisle, the pan-Peronist Unión por la Patria coalition remains legislatively united but is deeply fragmented politically.
    Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • The pelvis and vertebrae were also fragmented.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Section.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/section. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on section

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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