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

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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
The president is searching for any sliver of an excuse to punish his political enemies, real or imagined. — Max Taves, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026 While a thin sliver will remain illuminated by direct sunlight, most of the lunar surface will appear dramatically darkened with a subtle reddish-orange glow — reminiscent of a total lunar eclipse seen across North America on March 3. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 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
  • Following the successful first model, this iteration will feature binned A19 Pro chips, repurposed from iPhone 17 Pro production, which dictates its release timeline as chip stock accumulates.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Nvidia would supply computing hardware through the chip arrangement instead of directly funding construction.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of chip
Verb
  • After cooling off from the smokehouse, hams are ready to slice.
    — Anna Dilger, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The bridge of Islam Makhachev's nose, right cheek and forehead were scraped or sliced open and his left cheek sported a baseball-sized bruise after taking a few too many brutal blows to the face.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of slice
Noun
  • She was rushed to the hospital and was last listed in stable condition after undergoing surgery to remove the bullet fragments.
    — Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • And because intelligence exists in isolated fragments across different systems, companies end up deploying armies of employees whose primary, manual job is just interpretation.
    — Filip Popovic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of fragment
Noun
  • These kinds of seemingly effortless lines, lines that take a small shard of experience and hold it up to the light, offer some clues as to how the thirty-one-year-old Bridgers earned her reputation as one of her generation’s standout songwriters.
    — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Each year, countless shards of this ancient comet collide with our wandering planet.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of shard
Noun
  • One day, while washing a wooden cutting board, a splinter lodged in my left index finger.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Townshend’s cynicism proved prescient as the generation that marched, occupied, and dropped out in the late 1960s spent the 1970s watching the New Left splinter.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of splinter

Browse Nearby Words

slitting
sliver
slivered
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Cite this Entry

“Sliver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sliver. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sliver

Nglish: Translation of sliver for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sliver

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