part 1 of 3

part

2 of 3

adverb

part

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to separate
to go or move in different directions from a central point after traveling together for three weeks, we parted at Rome

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How is the word part distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of part are division, fragment, member, piece, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

In what contexts can division take the place of part?

The meanings of division and part largely overlap; however, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When might fragment be a better fit than part?

The words fragment and part 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 could member be used to replace part?

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

a structural member

When would piece be a good substitute for part?

Although the words piece and part have much in common, piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

Where would portion be a reasonable alternative to part?

The synonyms portion and part are sometimes interchangeable, but portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When is section a more appropriate choice than part?

While the synonyms section and part are close in meaning, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

When is it sensible to use segment instead of part?

In some situations, the words segment and part 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 part
Noun
His deportation On March 15, Abrego Garcia was among the more than 200 people who were removed from the country as part of a mass deportation order by the Trump Administration. Chantelle Lee, Time, 7 June 2025 Lucy is part of a long line of de Koonings who have made art in or around this backyard. Alessandra Schade, Vogue, 7 June 2025
Adverb
François Girard’s take — part mysterious, part mystifying — on Wagner’s last opera is one of the Met’s most interesting productions of the last decade or so, and returns for the first time since its premiere in 2013. David Allen, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2018
Verb
Varieties for the South: Autumn Carnival, Autumn Lilac 08 Perennial Geranium Botanical Name: Geranium spp Sun Exposure: Full to part sun Soil Type: Poor to average Soil pH: Slightly acidic This low-growing mounding perennial makes an excellent groundcover or edging plant along walkways. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 30 May 2025 Klum let the dress do all the talking, keeping her makeup and accessories to a minimum, and styling her hair in a new shorter cut, parted down the middle. Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for part
Recent Examples of Synonyms for part
Noun
  • Elam also shared portions of one of Lewis' final text messages to her.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 14 June 2025
  • German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, speaking alongside President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on June 12, said that the initial $4.6 billion pledge has grown to more than $10 billion, with a substantial portion earmarked for Ukraine’s procurement and production of long-range weaponry.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • The number of mid-level touring artists dropped from 19% to 12% recently, while even superstars saw their share decrease from 44% to 36%.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 2 June 2025
  • International concerns about the war’s consequences, as well as trade tensions, drove Asian share prices lower Monday while oil prices surged.
    Mehmet Guzel, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • Though she's been a part of some of the entire franchise's most epic confrontations and conflagrations, Smiley, who proposed to Rossi in 2013, has played an arguably even more pivotal role in shaping the course of the Housewives' oldest installment.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 6 June 2025
  • But by March, Musk's role in the administration began to face questions.
    Steve Inskeep, NPR, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • Bear Fire has been burning on federal land managed by the United States Forest Service.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2025
  • But one of the main attractions to Ardross was its 2,000 acres of land.
    Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Adverb
  • Cover and cook until cheese is melted and coats macaroni well, about 2 hours on LOW, stirring halfway though.
    Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 1 June 2025
  • Holm said halfway into the 30-minute flight, the pilots noticed an issue with the engine on the left side of the plane, which had overheated.
    Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • Airlines also often try to separate business travelers from leisure travelers, because business travelers are typically less price sensitive.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • There was gold but also plenty of garbage, with little time to separate the two.
    Son Nguyen, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Last month, the department moved ahead with negotiated rulemaking, a lengthy process that would result in changes to federal regulations.
    Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • And imagine also having to move all of that gear internationally?
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • Model parallelism divides the neural network itself across hardware.
    Jitender Jain, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Americans were also divided over what their separation means for the country, according to the survey, which has a margin of error of 2.1 percentage points.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Part.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/part. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on part

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!