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
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The score surges and splinters, and the world is askew.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Jan Goldsmith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
And with the Brotherhood of Sorcerers now splintered after the Thanedd coup, the disparate mages are looking for leadership.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for splinter
Noun
Outside of these moments, the audience scatters, the conversation splinters, and the mirage vanishes.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The score surges and splinters, and the world is askew.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
On the other hand, an otherwise strong voting bloc can be marginalized by splintering its voters among several districts, thereby diluting its impact.
—Jan Goldsmith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
And with the Brotherhood of Sorcerers now splintered after the Thanedd coup, the disparate mages are looking for leadership.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for splinter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splinter
Noun
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Fans of local brands are paying more for cookies, chips and out-to-eat staples as the record inflation of recent years has driven up the price of beloved Cincinnati items, according to new data from the University of Cincinnati.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Oct. 2025
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Coleman said the company is switching to carob powder, which gives the chips a similar color, but needed to tweak the recipe to ensure the addition of the cocoa alternative wouldn’t affect the taste.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Austin Wells followed by slicing a single to right as Chisholm sped around the bases, sliding headfirst just ahead of Nate Eaton’s throw as New York took the lead.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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For example, are there enough pork chops in the pack to eat grilled with baked potatoes and veggies one night and then sliced into a stir-fry the next?—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The 18 qualified teams were split into pots of three, according to their UEFA coefficient, and were drawn against two teams from each pot, with three matches away and three at home.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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So, all those nine teams splitting the first two on the road won the series … right?—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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On third-and-11 in the first quarter, Iamaleava spotted a sliver of daylight that wasn’t there a blink before and turned it into a 22-yard jailbreak up the gut, gliding past white jerseys.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Yet the growing dependence on a small sliver of consumers at the top carries risks.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To help keep leaves, whole or chopped, in place during high winds or flooding rains, wet them down with a hose.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
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The long hair of their youth is now gone, chopped away.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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See how commonwealth compares to other states The classic Halloween symbol is also great at dividing the masses.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
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Taiwan’s tender architecture is divided into two parts for 2026 and 2027.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In order to give life to the book, Rosales drew from multiple locations across the diaspora, taking fragments from Brazil, Cuba, and the United States into a cohesive narrative.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
3 Oct. 2025
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After sampling, genetic material—the creature’s DNA—is collected from cells and then broken up into fragments that are short enough to be read by the sequencing machines.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The assault left four members dead and numerous others physically injured, some from gunshots, others by smoke inhalation and still others gashed and bleeding from shrapnel and shards of glass.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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Researchers like me carefully separate out the tiny glass shards by sifting through the dirt and using a micromanipulator, a tool that can pick up and move microscopic grains.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Splinter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splinter. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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