as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles eons of incessant pounding by the waves have comminuted the once-rocky shoreline into a bed of fine-grained sand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of comminute The report of displacement (out of alignment) is not as worrisome as if the fracture was comminuted (pieces). Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 5 Nov. 2017 Also, this prognosis is rooted in my hopefulness the fracture is not comminuted (in multiple pieces), as that might prolong the timeline by a couple of weeks. Profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comminute
Verb
  • Which country can field the best fiber-optic drones, and fastest, should have the edge as Russia’s wider war on Ukraine grinds into its fourth year.
    David Axe, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • It’s certified organic by the JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards), which is recognized by the USDA, and it’s produced and ground into powder in Kagoshima, Japan.
    Lauryn Jiles, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The overnight barrage -- which also pounded residences and wounded at least 10 people -- came days after the U.S. suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • My heart started pounding a little after Sigmon's lawyer read his final statement.
    Jeffrey Collins, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The curator, Makeda Best, grounds it in images of the crushing routine and casual camaraderie of the office and the factory floor.
    Vince Aletti, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Britney Haynes once again crushed the reality TV dreams of Danielle Reyes, this time on the season 3 finale of The Traitors.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Standing in front of black and white curtains, Abuja Area Mama powders her face.
    Damisola Sulaiman, The Dial, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Soot blew in through gaps and cracks, sneaked under doors and snowed down from vents, homeowners said, powdering their carpets, closets, couches, pillows and quilts.
    Jack Healy, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • For variety, for style, for fun, Bombay Street Kitchen is still the venue to beat.
    Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025
  • While those comps are impressive, 2023 numbers were not very tough to beat.
    David Moin, WWD, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In a second, every dog in the pack was milling over us like an irresistible flood over an inadequate dam.
    Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Loud hip-hop music boomed over the PA system, and attendees of all ages feverishly milled about.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The blockage is pulverized to particles smaller than the size of a red blood cell that harmlessly exit the bloodstream.
    Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Garlic supplements usually consist of dried and pulverized whole cloves.
    Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Players like Bobby Bonilla, George Foster, Vince Coleman, Jason Bay, Justin Verlander, Kaz Matsui, and others, came to Queens with high hopes that eventually disintegrated.
    Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The top courses of the concrete block had disintegrated, and were nothing more than sand and small stones.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Comminute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comminute. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on comminute

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!