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
Some of that money also went to Southside Johnny’s horn section. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 Instead of moving the entire vehicle down one long production line, three sections will be built simultaneously and joined near the end. Josh Max, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
The process began with detangling, drying, and sectioning each model’s hair before additional wefts from True Hair Company were installed to enhance length and fullness. Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 23 Feb. 2026 How to do miracle knots Start by sectioning out clean, even parts and braiding them into single plaits. Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 12 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for section
Recent Examples of Synonyms for section
Noun
  • Two grandparents and their 3-year-old grandson were killed after multiple Russian drones destroyed their home in the Brovary district of Kyiv region, northeast of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, early Saturday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The new map reshaped Ogles’ district, which will now stretch from south of Nashville to parts of Memphis.
    Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • James' decision to run for governor left open his seat in the 10th District, which includes a portion of Oakland County and stretches across conservative communities in Macomb County.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Temperatures reached at least 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for five consecutive days in some areas in late July, the country’s longest such streak on record, and heatstroke alerts have repeatedly covered large portions of the country.
    Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And the cut looks very fresh, with Kardashian's honey-bronde hair parted in the center and worn loose with just a teeny bit of wavy texture at the ends.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Already this year, surgeons parted twins from Morocco, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Tanzania.
    Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In plenty of neighborhood stores, those benefits move real volume, so a change to what the card can buy lands directly on the day's receipts.
    Elie Y. Katz, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The university is located in a Nashville neighborhood that is also historically predominantly Black.
    Jeana Fermi, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • There’s even hope within CBS News that such segments can help the division reach new crowds.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The first path is probably obvious and will no doubt be the source of every preseason TV segment about USC.
    Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Long dark lines, separated by white spaces, race across the ground or sides of buildings.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • With less than a point separating the top five competitors, the all-around race quickly heated up.
    Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Someone caught selling outside that zone is supposed to receive a warning and be directed back to the legal area.
    Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But from orbit, their radar is unable to see the first few feet of material just below the planet's surface — a zone where scientists expect to find shallow ice deposits mixed in with the rocks and dust.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Achieving this requires making customer knowledge accessible across the organization rather than leaving it fragmented across teams and systems.
    Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Whatever ends up coming for Alpha, with their TV fragmented into a billion tiny screens, it’s bound to be bizarre.
    Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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