splintered; splintering
ˈsplin-tə-riŋ 
-triŋ
2
: to split into fragments, parts, or factions
: to become splintered
Examples of splinter in a Sentence
Noun
I got a splinter in my finger.
There were splinters of glass everywhere.
Verb
The board splintered under his weight.
The impact of the crash splintered the glass.
groups that have splintered off to form new political movements
a political party that has been splintered by disagreements
Recent Examples on the Web
Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Zigzagging rooftops nod to hawksbill turtle shells, and the beach house–style interiors have beds fringed by gauzy drapes bound with sisal rope and breezy bathrooms with terrazzo floors made from shell splinters and mother-of-pearl.
—Jennifer Flowers, AFAR Media, 3 Apr. 2025
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Analysts, including Wedbush’s Dan Ives, have voiced worries that Musk’s leadership focus has splintered.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for splinter
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Noun
Not only was a large splinter of the bat traveling toward him, but the baseball was, too.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Zigzagging rooftops nod to hawksbill turtle shells, and the beach house–style interiors have beds fringed by gauzy drapes bound with sisal rope and breezy bathrooms with terrazzo floors made from shell splinters and mother-of-pearl.
—Jennifer Flowers, AFAR Media, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
The film splinters the mind as pitilessly as previous Cronenberg movies went to work on the fragile, spongy body.
16.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Analysts, including Wedbush’s Dan Ives, have voiced worries that Musk’s leadership focus has splintered.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for splinter
Cite this Entry
“Splinter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/splinter. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
splinter
1 of 2 noun
splin·ter
ˈsplint-ər
: a thin piece split or torn off lengthwise : sliver
splinter
adjective
splinter
2 of 2 verb
splintered; splintering
ˈsplint-ə-riŋ
ˈsplin-triŋ
: to divide or break into splinters
Medical Definition
splinter
noun
splin·ter
ˈsplint-ər
: a thin piece (as of wood) split or broken off lengthwise
especially
: such a piece embedded in the skin
used tweezers to remove a splinter
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