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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Its bright ombré glaze, which is chip and stain resistant, adds a pop of color to any area.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Ole Miss chips away Canes defense again bends but doesn’t break.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The 56-room property, which sits on a sliver of prime cliff side real estate above the Bay of Positano, is a primitive Eden doused in fragrant flora and citrus trees.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
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Here, a sliver of orangey-red pops against a cool-toned ruby hue.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Richard proclaims he and Lexy's innocence, but the discovery of the murder weapon (and Rachel's nail fragments) in their house is evidence enough that Lexy and Richard are behind the murders.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Jan. 2026
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Moreover, its warhead can split into fragments during the final moments of the strike, ensuring more extensive damage in a wider area.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Jeff Clanagan painted a picture of a landscape in which movie stardom is no longer protected by traditional channels, as attention splinters across platforms and audiences fragment.—
Josh Rottenberg,
Twin Cities,
31 Dec. 2025
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The paper also prevents wear and tear on the wood surface and keeps small splinters from snagging delicate clothing.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Fresh ginger and red pepper flakes add welcome zing, but the real surprise here is napa (aka Chinese) cabbage.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
12 Jan. 2026
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The rest of us will see flakes and maybe a coating.—
Mary Ours,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The windshield and windows of the truck appeared to be shattered, and shards of glass were seen on the street below the vehicle.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Police recovered a weapon from the scene, which was later determined to be a shard of a broken toilet seat, sources said.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spall. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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