sliver 1 of 2

noun

ˈsli-vər How to pronounce sliver (audio)
Definition of slivernext
as in chip
a small flat piece separated from a whole I got a sliver of wood stuck in my finger

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sliver

2 of 2

verb

ˈsli-vər How to pronounce sliver (audio)
as in to slice
to cut into long slender pieces carefully slivered the rattan stems into strips for basketry

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sliver
Noun
But because even the smallest sliver of yellow attracts yellow jackets. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026 Victorian mansions still preside as reminders of the coastal hub’s fleeting golden age before the historic 1900 hurricane devastated this sliver of an island, leaving behind a wake of destruction that took decades to repair. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 July 2026
Verb
The dish was popularized in the western Oklahoma City suburb of El Reno, where Ross Davis first piled slivered onions onto thin beef patties at his Hamburger Inn. — Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sliver
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sliver
  1. chip
  2. slice
  3. fragment
  4. shard
  5. splinter
Noun
  • As quantum technologies become more widely available, many may need to import quantum chips from foreign suppliers and integrate them into their own computing platforms.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
  • And then there’s the complex global supply chain of mirrors and lasers and rare-earth minerals that go into the chips used to train and run AI models.
    — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026
Definition of chip
Verb
  • The scramble for capacity is already spilling into the capital markets, where the risk gets sliced up and sold to investors as catastrophe bonds.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Refrigerate the pie for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 July 2026
Definition of slice
Noun
  • Some critics worry that expanding certificates will reduce higher education to workforce training or fragment learning into disconnected pieces.
    — David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Peptides—the tiny protein fragments that users inject to try to speed up recovery, boost energy, or slow aging—are all the rage.
    — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 20 July 2026
Definition of fragment
Noun
  • But Johnson’s lasting impact came from an uncanny ability to grab the all-encompassing darkness of his life and pull out jagged shards of beauty.
    — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
  • On a recent Thursday morning, Richetts’ artworks, the colorful shards of smooth shiny glass, were indeed speaking the language of healing — and spreading the gospel Richetts has been preaching for decades.
    — Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
Definition of shard
Noun
  • Legend has it this imperative caused the park’s architect, William Russell Everitt, to smash the original model to splinters with a baseball bat.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
  • Congress can swing the axe but taxpayers pick up the splinters.
    — Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of splinter

Browse Nearby Words

slitting
sliver
slivered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sliver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sliver. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sliver

Nglish: Translation of sliver for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sliver

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of itinerant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All