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
Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
Injuries range from mouth splinters and choking to bowel blockages, eye damage, wounds, infections, or even sticks penetrating the body; vets have treated severe cases, some fatal.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Be careful with it on decks, where the blast of water can splinter wooden planks or pull up nails.
—Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for splinter
Noun
Unlike typical wooden options, this one offers much easier maintenance thanks to its high-density polyethylene (HDPE) build that won’t require repainting nor leave you with pesky splinters.
—Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
Injuries range from mouth splinters and choking to bowel blockages, eye damage, wounds, infections, or even sticks penetrating the body; vets have treated severe cases, some fatal.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
The party scene, meanwhile, has splintered accordingly.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026
Be careful with it on decks, where the blast of water can splinter wooden planks or pull up nails.
—Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for splinter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splinter
Noun
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Nvidia has cemented itself at the heart of the AI boom with a monopoly on the most powerful chips to train and run models, but a growing crop of startups are set on challenging the company's supremacy.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2026
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Little Debbie says the chocolate chip cookie features a light golden-brown finish and semi-sweet chocolate chips, while the peanut butter cookie is formulated with real peanut butter.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another had been sliced in two by a monorail, like a magician’s assistant.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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In a lab at MSK, the tumor was preserved and sliced into fine pieces, each thinner than a human hair.—
Caleb Hellerman,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In this game, a Proposer is given a sum of money and invited to choose in what proportion to split it with a Receiver.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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What is the fairest way to split the cash?—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And perhaps the latest sliver of hope for fans is that Juan Soto, their superstar outfielder, is expected to return to the lineup after dealing with a calf strain.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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Just off the North Carolina coast, there's a trio of sliver-thin barrier islands known as theOuter Banks.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This recipe calls for three carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
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Her platinum blonde hair was chopped into a chin-grazing cut that was curled under at the ends to give a voluminous appearance.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The money bitterly divided the golf world.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
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Chondrites are divided into three families—ordinary, enstatite and carbonaceous—with the key difference being how oxidized their iron-bearing minerals are, much like the difference between a shiny unoxidized iron nail and one that’s rusty from heavy oxidation.—
Javier Barbuzano,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Another passerby suffered a minor injury after being struck with a bullet fragment that struck a wall.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2026
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During past close approaches with the Sun, Phaethon released vast amounts of dust and larger fragments.—
Patrick M. Shober,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Along with another Gelfling, Kira (voiced by Lisa Maxwell), Jen is tasked with retrieving a shard of the crystal within three days to prevent the Skeksis from ruling Thra forever.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
16 Apr. 2026
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Hussaini assembles the shards of her home city of Kabul into a mosaic, honoring its history, culture, and future.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splinter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splinter. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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