1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

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
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 For now, existing smaller data centers represent only a sliver of Charlotte’s overall water demand. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 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
  • However, that does not mean China has demonstrated a production-ready sub-3nm chip.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Serve with tortilla chips and ensure plates are available because all of the layers won’t fit on one chip.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of chip
Verb
  • Food prep including tomato cutting and slicing on an unclean surface.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • There are a lot of ways to slice the metrics on just how dependent the US economy has become on AI (and AI-adjacent) spending.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of slice
Noun
  • Among the most destructive munitions in Western military arsenals, an MK-84 explosion sends metal fragments in every direction for thousands of feet, can rip through metal and thick concrete, and often creates large craters in the earth.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Taken together, these masterworks mirror Prieto’s own process, which often uses chance as a springboard for composition and which harnesses ephemera — memories, scents, poems, or even architectural fragments — to create new work.
    — Jill Singer, Curbed, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of fragment
Noun
  • Smoke continued to rise from the twisted shards of metal, while the remains of the World Trade Center smoldered in a massive pile.
    — Sophia Leone, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Once the drop trap — a simple wire cage triggered by yanking on a cord — is set up with an enticing mix of sardines and shards of roast chicken on a cardboard tray inside, everyone moves out of sight behind massive logs a few yards away.
    — Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of shard
Noun
  • Los Lobos emerged as a splinter organization from Los Choneros and has established routes into Mexico through relationships with organizations including Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, Treasury said.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
  • One day, while washing a wooden cutting board, a splinter lodged in my left index finger.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 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 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on sliver

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 nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

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

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All