as in slivers
a small sharp piece of something (such as glass or pottery)
Watch out for the shards of glass on the floor.
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Recent Examples of shards
Hall had shards of glass in his chest when he was found, per Utilma Hora.
—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
In 2020, Ross became mostly blind in one eye after repeatedly getting metal shards in it and developing an infection in his cornea.
—
Andrew Jones,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
From the construction debris and pottery shards, in Hadrian’s day, the structure appeared to archaeologists to have been abandoned.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Once ground was completely covered with shards of tableware, folks journeyed from their seats into the center of the room for more dancing and merrymaking.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
It's made up of exoskeletons of tiny marine animals and contains sharp shards that penetrate ants' bodies and dispatch them.
—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
10 June 2026
The sky has shattered, shards fill the alleys.
—
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Thursday night’s detonation of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket during a static-fire test produced a spectacular fireball over Florida, sending shards of the rocket flying far and wide, into the sea and across the coastal scrubland nearby.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Up close, the design featured far more detail, boasting peek-a-boo lace cups and hundreds of shards of stone and crystals.
—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
In 2020, Ross became mostly blind in one eye after repeatedly getting metal shards in it and developing an infection in his cornea.
—
Andrew Jones,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
From the construction debris and pottery shards, in Hadrian’s day, the structure appeared to archaeologists to have been abandoned.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Once ground was completely covered with shards of tableware, folks journeyed from their seats into the center of the room for more dancing and merrymaking.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
It's made up of exoskeletons of tiny marine animals and contains sharp shards that penetrate ants' bodies and dispatch them.
—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
10 June 2026
The sky has shattered, shards fill the alleys.
—
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Thursday night’s detonation of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket during a static-fire test produced a spectacular fireball over Florida, sending shards of the rocket flying far and wide, into the sea and across the coastal scrubland nearby.
—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Up close, the design featured far more detail, boasting peek-a-boo lace cups and hundreds of shards of stone and crystals.
—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shards
Noun
-
This white and pink ombré set is elevated with gold slivers to outline each nail.
-
Arranged over the top are dollops of crema and slivers of pickled yellow squash.
Noun
-
The sixth block in the Parthenon’s tympanum—or recessed space—was restored by combining a pair of archaic fragments with new pieces of marble, while the seventh block has been completed using only fresh marble.
-
Indeed, Grail medical advisor Hall says the Galleri test is not a diagnostic tool; rather, by identifying the volume and type of DNA fragments and other cancer markers in the blood, the test results offer what are essentially predictions about the source of the cancer.
Noun
-
It should be finely milled, meaning it's blended to lightweight particles that move easily yet set the skin well.
-
The storm built until the walls and floor were covered with pale gray particles, billowing like smoke, then tessellating in triangles.
Noun
-
One released a chaff cascade—hell’s own monsoon manifesting as specks of light, sound, and EM pulses falling through the hanging garden.
-
Kansas City isn't much of a pedestrian city, but now, blue and green specks of fans dot the sidewalks, like wildflowers poking through a crack in the pavement.
Noun
-
Light streams through the frosted glass, catching flecks of dust.
-
But flecks of green were visible throughout the stadium as Algeria fans made their presence known as well.
Noun
-
Despite a few glimmers of good feeling, today's fierce political divisions have redefined a milestone that has often been marked by unity and optimism, at least for a moment.
-
There are glimmers in her eyes, pleasant memories quietly unfurling.
Noun
-
Many of the paintings include a portrait of a Pullman porter or a maid surrounded by splashes of color and fragments of archival documents — newspaper clippings, timesheets, employee records.
-
For outdoor use, the D2 Pro adds 270mm of ground clearance, IP65 protection against dust, mud, and water splashes, and a carbon steel frame for everyday durability.
Noun
-
Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas.
-
The Spanish architect Marina Otero Verzier highlights efforts to preserve the entire island nation of Tuvalu as a series of digital bits.
Cite this Entry
“Shards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shards. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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