as in chip
a small flat piece separated from a whole
found a variety of uses for the spalls left over from their stonecutting operations
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spall
The curtains are made up of overlapping, three-quarter inch plates of AR500 steel encased in a layer of ballistic nylon that captures spall, the shards of metal that break off from a colliding bullet.
—
Dan Robitzski, Popular Mechanics, 8 Mar. 2018
The reports noted that numerous repairs had been made to cracks and spalls in the spillway.
—Bettina Boxall, latimes.com, 24 Apr. 2017
Dan Robitzski, Popular Mechanics, 8 Mar. 2018
The reports noted that numerous repairs had been made to cracks and spalls in the spillway.
—Bettina Boxall, latimes.com, 24 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spall
Noun
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Ponds also plays with a chip on his shoulder and displays fearlessness both in coverage situations and against the run.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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These novelty curry chips are pretty spot on.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That’s in large part because many of the Democrats have only slivers of daylight between their policies, and ditto for the two Republicans.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Two children watch him from behind while, in one sliver of the background on the top left side of the picture, a blazing red sunset overruns the sky.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on multiple occasions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on multiple occasions during the war in Ukraine.—
Elise Morton,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some interpreted McVay’s demeanor on Thursday night as evidence of a splinter in one of the league’s most successful partnerships.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Not-so-splendid splinter During a 1976 game against the Dodgers at San Diego Stadium, Padres left-hander Randy Jones was pitching to the Dodgers’ Bill Russell to lead off the seventh inning.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Crushed red pepper flakes and honey create just the right amount of sweet heat in this dish.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
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The coconut frosting, speckled with coconut flakes, was the best part.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The shortstop broke his bat on one pitch and a shard hit teammate Steve Yeager in the on-deck circle, piercing the catcher’s throat.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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The plainclothes detectives, who were wearing NYPD vests, then dragged Brown on the floor, over shards of broken glass, to the front of the store, ordering him to stop resisting.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spall. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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