SHARDS Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

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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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 Every piece — the pleated wrap top, the shorts adorned with trailing shards of silk chiffon — was hand-dyed or painted and then covered in Swarovski crystals. — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026 Space-grade electronics will cost more, and the ball’s shell—made from a material tough enough to roll over steel shards and withstand minus 184 °C temperatures—has never been evaluated in lunar extremes. — IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026 Smaller glass shards likely won’t cause symptoms, but bigger pieces with sharp edges run the risk of damaging the throat, stomach and intestines, according to the National Capital Poison Center. — Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 According to a video shared Monday on Threads, a Parton fan who planned to lay flowers at the star found that it was marred by what seemed to be shards from a broken candle. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Floating islands exist all over the world in wetlands, where shards of shore often break off into the water. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026 But globs of liquid mercury worked just fine to show the melting shards coming together, even though its toxicity meant the special effects crew had to wear protective gear over the two-day shoot. — ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 Initial investigations began in 2014, when archaeologists at the University of South Carolina (USC) collaborated with the Muscogee Nation to collect 31 pottery shards from the Etowah mounds. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 2026 Many of these cometary shards are no larger than a single grain of sand. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shards

Noun

The play was a microcosm of the ability Harvey showcased during his rookie season to turn small slivers of space into big plays.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Although the wealthy Gulf oil states and small slivers of Arab elites flourished within this system, for most people the American order meant only violence, hopelessness, and deprivation.

— MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of slivers

Noun

People who have lived even fragments of freedom together are harder to persuade that domination is eternal.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Sarah then puts her life as an activist and artist in 1990s San Francisco on hold to return to her small hometown to spend time with mother as her mind fragments.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of fragments

Noun

In Lower Manhattan, the collapse of the Twin Towers led to a massive dust cloud that filled the air and blanketed city blocks with ash, debris, metal, glass, asbestos, benzene and other harmful particles, according to the WTC Health program.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026
The main filter comes with a fine-mesh inner basket for capturing particles such as sand, pollen, and other grit.

— John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of particles

Noun

Some kits include stone-like chips or flecks to scatter over the surface of the wet paint for a realistic effect.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026
Hundreds of flecks of sequins caught the light as Jenner made her way down the red carpet, glittering from every angle.

— Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of flecks

Noun

People have always looked for errant glimmers of the dead in the world around them, but now the past runs parallel to — imprints upon, and circles around — the present to a degree that can severely confuse the relationship between the two.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Peppered amid the challenges for 2025 were glimmers of hope through successes like Weapons ($270 million globally on a $38 million budget), while modestly budgeted reboots Freakier Friday and Final Destination Bloodlines also turned profits.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of glimmers

Noun

Built in a distinctively analog way, the rooms create the illusion of endless space through the use of light, mirrors and splashes of color.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
The company has built a reputation in the investment world for backing companies that have made big splashes, including Uber, Waymo and Discord.

— Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of splashes

Noun

There were small tables that needed gluing, and there was always clothing to be mended, and, on this day, a lawn chair whose shredded side pieces were being replaced with unmatching but whimsical bits of material.

— Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
Some of the best bits are when there is no violence at all, said Jo Lawson-Tancred on Artnet.

— Will Barker, TheWeek, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of bits

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“Shards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shards. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shards

noun

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