as in chip
a small flat piece separated from a whole
found a variety of uses for the spalls left over from their stonecutting operations
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Recent Examples of spall
The curtains are made up of overlapping, three-quarter inch plates of AR500 steel encased in a layer of ballistic nylon that captures spall, the shards of metal that break off from a colliding bullet.
—
Dan Robitzski, Popular Mechanics, 8 Mar. 2018
The reports noted that numerous repairs had been made to cracks and spalls in the spillway.
—Bettina Boxall, latimes.com, 24 Apr. 2017
Dan Robitzski, Popular Mechanics, 8 Mar. 2018
The reports noted that numerous repairs had been made to cracks and spalls in the spillway.
—Bettina Boxall, latimes.com, 24 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spall
Noun
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The prototype combines a pump, valves, and a microfluidic chip into a device roughly the size and weight of a smartphone.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
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The latest iPad model has Apple’s older A16 processor inside, whereas the MacBook Neo uses the more advanced A18 Pro chip, previously exclusive to the 2024 iPhone Pro models.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The camera pans across the humble audience to find everyday faces of Latinos and others for whom his victory could represent a sliver of vindication amid constant persecution.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
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These rates make refinancing now only beneficial for a small sliver of homeowners.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The military said missile fragments struck the edge of Jerusalem's Old City, home to sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
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Today, the room hosts complex Lego sets in various states of completion, along with shelves of semi-functional robots and baskets of knitting filled with sweater fragments.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Alongside attacks by bandits, Nigeria is also plagued by an insurgency fought by the Boko Haram extremist group and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
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From removing splinters or opening bandages, to snagging ingrown hairs and tightening eyeglass screws, tweezers are one of those travel essentials that my mom never regrets packing.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sprinkle with more oregano and crushed red pepper flakes (if using).—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Mar. 2026
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The lip exfoliators have delicate sugar crystals that gently scrub to reveal smooth, supple, flake-free lips.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The team pulled it out and dropped the shard into a tray.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Cut into individual pieces or break into rustic shards.—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spall. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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