as in chip
a small flat piece separated from a whole
she got a splinter from the unfinished wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in to split
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups
The board splintered as soon as the most contentious issues came up for discussion.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of splinter
Josh Rottenberg, Twin Cities, 31 Dec. 2025
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
Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
With nine top Democrats running, the fear is that the candidates will splinter their party’s vote and allow the top two Republicans in the race to finish in first and second place.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for splinter
Noun
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
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
Verb
Brexit, the agonizing effort to break free of the controversial European Union, splintered the governing Conservative Party and then divided the Labour Party as well.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
With nine top Democrats running, the fear is that the candidates will splinter their party’s vote and allow the top two Republicans in the race to finish in first and second place.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for splinter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splinter
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
Verb
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Scatter 1–2 jalapeños, thinly sliced, over shrimp, then sprinkle 2 Tbsp.—
Hana Asbrink,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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Move the bread to a rack and let cool before slicing.—
Monti Carlo,
AJC.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Other changes, such as splitting the MMR vaccine, remain in place.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
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Iowa State and Virginia have split four previous meetings, though the Cavaliers won the most recent matchup and the only one in the NCAA Tournament.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Smaller by far and equally jaw-dropping is La Copine, a sliver of a restaurant in nearby Yucca Valley.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
24 Mar. 2026
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The Chokepoint That Moves the World The Strait of Hormuz is a sliver of water barely 21 miles wide at its narrowest point, separating Iran from Oman.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Add 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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The boats will be returning to McCovey Cove, the garlic is being freshly chopped for the fries, and the gorgeous, unmistakable mix of grass, dirt, brick, wind and water at Oracle Park is nearly ready to welcome us back for another season of Giants baseball.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Republicans now plan to give the measure an up-or-down vote in a bid to divide Democrats.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
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This discussion comes during a critical time for Ag Reserve landowners, many of whom are divided between wanting to develop on their land and leaving agriculture behind.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
25 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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The team pulled it out and dropped the shard into a tray.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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Cut into individual pieces or break into rustic shards.—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splinter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splinter. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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