shards

noun

plural of shard
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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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 shards Each year, countless shards of this ancient comet collide with our wandering planet. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026 The man, armed with a large cooking knife and shards of glass, appeared injured, Sylvia said, but continued to hold off officers from the rooftop while firefighters worked. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026 When the smoke cleared on October 4, 2024, Beloozerov’s body lay splayed out on the pavement amid shards of glass from his car window. — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 Scientists found them by dissolving away the mud and counting microscopic glass shards, remnants of the molten magma the eruption atomized into ultra-fine and rapidly cooling dust. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 9 Aug. 2026 As he was pulled back up, shop owner and witness Anna Medina said, his right leg was cut by the shards of glass. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 Fragrant curls of smoke rise through shards of sunlight as Father Mesrop performs the liturgy in his rich baritone, joined by eleven worshippers—eight adults and three tiny children. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026 Others insist on seeds — poppy, sesame — or shards of onion or salt. — ABC News, 21 July 2026 Over the years, mounds, pottery shards and other relics of Native American settlements that once dotted the swamp have been discovered. — Drew Kann, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shards
  1. slivers
  2. fragments
  3. particles
  4. specks
  5. flecks
  6. glimmers
  7. splashes
  8. bits
Noun
  • This flaky white fish looks like a gourmet dish when served over a bed of couscous and dressed with mixed greens and colorful radish slivers.
    — Jasmine Thompson, Midwest Living, 25 July 2026
  • This white and pink ombré set is elevated with gold slivers to outline each nail.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 15 June 2026
Definition of slivers
Noun
  • Three loose fan blade fragments were recovered from the engine.
    — Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • None of this has occurred in the Russian-Ukrainian case, except in fragments—and the result has been an effort without commitment, coherence, or momentum.
    — Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fragments
Noun
  • Most is in the form of subatomic particles called neutrinos, which carry little energy individually but are generated in vast numbers when a star explodes.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The sound of the title track is reminiscent of kicking a pebble on a road or watching dust particles dancing in a shaft of light.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of particles
Noun
  • Pay close attention to where leaves meet the stem, the underside of leaves, and within the petals for any movement or tiny specks.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The specks of dirt on the screen, that’s a byproduct of the process that Imax projectors use to advance the frames.
    — Chris Stanton, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of specks
Noun
  • Little flecks of roasted sweet potato pepper the cake, and a tangy cream cheese glaze is a perfect complement to the warm spices and crunchy topping.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
  • One image of her right knee showed flecks of blue plastic that prosecutors said came from an inflatable pool Burke used to collect blood while dismembering her body.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2026
Definition of flecks
Noun
  • But take a closer look and the report actually provides glimmers of hope.
    — TerDawn DeBoe, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • There were glimmers of form from Yoane Wissa (DR Congo) and Anthony Elanga (Sweden), both of whom need to hit the ground running in the coming season.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of glimmers
Noun
  • During her Hollywood years, Grace Kelly reportedly followed the famed Erno Laszlo ritual, beginning with Phelityl Cleansing Oil, followed by the brand’s Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar, and finishing with 30 splashes of warm water.
    — Colleen Sullivan, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026
  • And though the case itself isn’t water-resistant, the buds rock an IPX4 rating that protects them from sweaty listening sessions and light water splashes from any direction.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of splashes
Noun
  • The full-bodied physicality with which delas Alas imbues her performance turns such punishingly poignant bits into the stuff of boisterous spectacle.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The yoke-like steering features hammered aluminum bits, referencing the armor worn by medieval knights.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of bits

Browse Nearby Words

shard
shards
share
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Cite this Entry

“Shards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shards. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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