piece 1 of 2

noun

ˈpēs How to pronounce piece (audio)
Definition of piecenext
1
as in fragment
a broken or irregular part of something that often remains incomplete a piece of stone fell from the crumbling wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in composition
a literary, musical, or artistic production presented a new interpretation of the piece by Mozart

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in firearm
a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder carrying a piece under his coat

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in portion
something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group believes his piece of the profits should be higher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piece

2 of 2

verb

as in to build
to form by putting together parts or materials you might want to piece together a quilt from those odd patches of cloth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word piece distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piece are division, fragment, member, part, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When is division a more appropriate choice than piece?

While in some cases nearly identical to piece, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When can fragment be used instead of piece?

While the synonyms fragment and piece are close in meaning, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Where would member be a reasonable alternative to piece?

In some situations, the words member and piece are roughly equivalent. However, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When might part be a better fit than piece?

The words part and piece can be used in similar contexts, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would portion be a good substitute for piece?

Although the words portion and piece have much in common, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When could section be used to replace piece?

The meanings of section and piece largely overlap; however, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can segment take the place of piece?

The words segment and piece are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

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 piece
Noun
The public offers a piece of its mind Mic's Celeste Katz discloses that Trump's controversial voter fraud panel won't let the public speak at its first meeting on July 19 but did solicit emails. — The Hive, 14 July 2017 Alan Jacobs, a professor at Baylor University, has written eloquently about that last piece. — Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 14 July 2017
Verb
It is being transported to a secure hangar where it will be pieced back together for examination. — Andy Rose, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025 Investigators piecing plane back together The recovery of the jet wreckage from the Potomac continues Wednesday as the possibility of sleet and snow returns to the Washington weather forecast. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for piece
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piece
  1. fragment
  2. composition
  3. firearm
  4. portion
  5. build
  6. bit
  7. work
  8. gun
Noun
  • Microplastics are fragments of plastic measuring less than five millimeters long—some may be the size of a pencil eraser, while others are several times smaller than the width of a human hair.
    — Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The fragment, discovered in 2022, was first reported in the journal Nature on Wednesday with new details.
    — Evan Bush, NBC News, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of fragment
Noun
  • This collaborative mindset shapes everything from their approach to retail design, adaptive reuse of public buildings, or material selection processes that consider factors like embodied carbon, circularity, and chemical composition.
    — Christopher Marquis, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Scientists will need to understand the composition of these oils before industry can determine which plastic types to focus on and how each oil could create new materials.
    — Alexander Kaplitz, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of composition
Noun
  • The 12-year-old was seen holding a firearm in the video, according to police.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Five days after the killing, Mangione was taken into custody at the McDonalds and charged with possessing an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification in Pennsylvania.
    — Christine Pelisek, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of firearm
Noun
  • Mayor Austin Bonta said the city is talking about whether to maintain a portion of the park for public use by all residents, not just those in the subdivision.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
  • In all, tax credits and rebates will cover more than the cost of an average heat pump conversion and will cover a good portion of my more complex replacement.
    — Ben Roush, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of portion
Verb
  • These eventually unravel, and build to an emotional wallop.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Bar Zakheim, owner of Better Place Design & Build, a contracting business in San Diego that specializes in building accessible dwelling units, said Canada remains the best source for lumber.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of build
Noun
  • That is unique to our show, and did inform a little bit of not knowing what’s going on in Lumon.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Cody Bowen had 2 bits and 2 runs scored for Wekiva (5-11).
    — Steve Gorches, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of bit
Noun
  • Listen to this article Aubrey Lay — a Fulbright scholar — was supposed to get paid for three months of work by the U.S. government through his teaching assistantship at a school for Ukrainian refugees in Estonia.
    — Heather Hollingsworth, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Shoppers swear by them for walking, running, lifting weights, air travel, and even long days on their feet at work.
    — Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of work
Noun
  • The 18-year-old man and the two minors were arrested Feb. 12, on suspicion of crimes encompassing robbery as well as assault and gun crimes.
    — Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025
  • There is no point in the enormous gun variety in the game if only a handful are viable.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of gun

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Cite this Entry

“Piece.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piece. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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