section 1 of 2

Definition of sectionnext
1
as in district
an area (as of a city) set apart for some purpose or having some special feature several abandoned warehouses in the city's industrial section are being converted into art galleries and artists' lofts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in portion
one of the pieces from which something is designed to be assembled had trouble fitting the sections of the bookcase together

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

section

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word section distinct from other similar nouns?

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

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can division take the place of section?

Although the words division and section have much in common, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is it sensible to use fragment instead of section?

The words fragment and section are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When is member a more appropriate choice than section?

While in some cases nearly identical to section, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When can part be used instead of section?

The synonyms part and section are sometimes interchangeable, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would piece be a good substitute for section?

The words piece and section can be used in similar contexts, but piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When could portion be used to replace section?

While the synonyms portion and section are close in meaning, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When might segment be a better fit than section?

In some situations, the words segment and section are roughly equivalent. However, segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage.

the retired segment of the population

How is the word section distinct from other similar nouns?

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

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can division take the place of section?

Although the words division and section have much in common, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When is it sensible to use fragment instead of section?

The words fragment and section are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When is member a more appropriate choice than section?

While in some cases nearly identical to section, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When can part be used instead of section?

The synonyms part and section are sometimes interchangeable, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would piece be a good substitute for section?

The words piece and section can be used in similar contexts, but piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When could portion be used to replace section?

While the synonyms portion and section are close in meaning, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When might segment be a better fit than section?

In some situations, the words segment and section are roughly equivalent. However, 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 section
Noun
In a living donor liver transplant, the organ is split, with one portion transplanted to the recipient while the donor keeps the remaining section. Camila Gomez, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026 Struck said his company is working on about two-thirds of the section of I-35E stretching from West Seventh Street to Grand Avenue, getting rid of tree stumps, dead and dying shrubs, buckthorn and nine red trellises. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
How to do miracle knots Start by sectioning out clean, even parts and braiding them into single plaits. Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 12 Feb. 2026 So, where does section 179 fit into all of this? Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for section
Recent Examples of Synonyms for section
Noun
  • Mary Brown retired after coaching boys and girls volleyball in the district for 19 years, including the past eight years with the Knights’ boys team.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Creating more majority-Republican districts but with thinner margins could dilute GOP advantages and give Democrats more opportunities to win seats, especially if there’s an anti-Trump backlash at the polls this year.
    Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The court struck down that portion of the legislation, a move that infuriated Cindy's family.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Hillsborough commissioner Joshua Wostal has proposed using a tourist development tax to pay the county’s portion of construction, but that would require the Rays to pay all the upfront costs for construction and get reimbursed with public funds over the next 35 years.
    John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • If Yahweh, who delivered Israel from bondage and parted the Red Sea, intervenes too soon, some of us will be denied that choice (parable of the wheat and the tares).
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Citing limited progress, the Joint Development Authority composed of the city and county parted ways with master developer Alatus last June, inspiring Alatus to file legal action against the partnership last July.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Many of the pictures were captured on the Day of the Dead, at the annual feast of the cult of Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte (Our Lady of Holy Death), in the Tepito neighborhood of Mexico City.
    Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Built in 1993 to accommodate more than 16,000 Israelis, the shelter found a new life during the Israel-Iran war as a public refuge for residents of Neve Shaanan, among Tel Aviv’s most diverse neighborhoods and one of its poorest, home mainly to asylum seekers and foreign workers.
    Theia Chatelle, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The trio then shimmied back on to stage, with Coughlan and Fallon embracing as the madcap segment came to an end, and the show cut to a sketch in which Coughlan sent up her film The Faraway Tree with an explicit rap for studio executives.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The Chinese company has confirmed that the Great Tang EV is scheduled to officially reach the market in the first half of this year, expanding its presence in the large premium electric SUV segment.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Only 26 points separated Flagg and Knueppel in a balloting where 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the league ranked their top three rookies, with five points going to first place, three to second and one to third.
    Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • In between, the brand would release drops of basics, which spanned whimsical cotton poplin to bodycon jersey separates.
    Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Muhammad is a tough cornerback who is versatile in both man and zone.
    Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Coverage is the concern, with spotty zone awareness/spacing and the risk of being mismatched in man.
    The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • When habitat is fragmented — broken up by roads, development or geographical barriers — animal populations can become cut off from one another.
    Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The densest areas fragment first, diminishing further in size.
    Big Think, Big Think, 20 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Section.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/section. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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