section 1 of 2

noun

ˈsek-shən How to pronounce section (audio)
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

as in to part

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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

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
Parish was initially sectioned to a secure facility in Devon where he was later released into custody and charged, per the police statement. —Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 27 May 2025 Luth guided the Vikings to section titles in 1994 and 1995. —Dan Albano, Oc Register, 29 May 2025
Verb
Fans in the comments section were quick to comment with heart and fire emojis, while others commented on her beauty. —Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025 But that section of footage is very hard for me and was surprising. —Angela Andaloro, People.com, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for section
Recent Examples of Synonyms for section
  1. district
  2. portion
  3. part
  4. neighborhood
  5. segment
  6. separate
  7. zone
  8. fragment
Noun
  • Almy proposed that districts, states and others be more coherent in creating and rolling out policies, supporting teachers and making sense of policy so teachers don't have to.
    — Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 30 July 2025
  • At the time, divisions along racial lines within the district, which had the largest minority population of any in the state, had led to conflict and violence.
    — Maria Polletta, AZCentral.com, 30 July 2025
Definition of district
Noun
  • Eight-ounce portions of butter chicken, tikka masala and mutter paneer are $6.99, dal is $5.99, sauteed vegetables are $4.99, onion pakora is $4.99 and rice is $3.99.
    — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 31 July 2025
  • One portion of the series follows the love story between Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy), who are Jamie’s parents.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 31 July 2025
Definition of portion
Verb
  • The clouds truly began to part, however, when Antony and Josephine gave Baser some advice that would go on to change the course of her career.
    — Sophie Williams, Billboard, 25 July 2025
  • Paves also styled Simpson’s hair later that night, parting her hair on the left side of her head and tucking it behind her ears.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 24 July 2025
Definition of part
Noun
  • Her district includes some of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods, including River North, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village, Lincoln Square and Portage Park.
    — A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2025
  • The shooting unfolded at 11:51 p.m. Saturday in Fort Washington Park in the Washington Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan, according to the New York Police Department.
    — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 20 July 2025
Definition of neighborhood
Noun
  • Instead, identify specific product lines, regions or customer segments where current pricing approaches have become visibly inadequate.
    — Pascal Yammine, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
  • As the segment moved into the 3rd Hour of Today, weatherman Al Roker praised those who donate blood regularly.
    — Rachel McRady, People.com, 28 July 2025
Definition of segment
Verb
  • Now, the digital operation sits at the heart of TNT Sports’ ambitions as the outfit transforms its portfolio of game rights and prepares for a 2026 split that will separate Warner Bros.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 22 July 2025
  • Unfortunately, some of this history seems relevant now as immigrant children are being forcibly separated from their parents.
    — Jane Ciabattari July 22, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Definition of separate
Noun
  • Violent crime dropped between 37% and 83% in CVI zones nearly a year after its ShotStoppers program launched.
    — Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 25 July 2025
  • Mammoth Cave is located northeast of Bowling Green and is in the Central time zone.
    — Ruby Grisin, The Courier-Journal, 24 July 2025
Definition of zone
Verb
  • The development process is fragmented, the talent pool is bifurcated and the hodgepodge of tools were all designed for AI development in the cloud, not the edge.
    — Rajesh Subramaniam, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Though still fragmented, the effort is increasingly looking like a full-on takeover, a Pixar-like artquake that aims to change the provenance of images, the business of production and (not to put too fine a point on it) the language of cinema itself.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025
Definition of fragment

Phrases Containing section

Browse Nearby Words

sectarians
section
sectional
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Cite this Entry

“Section.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/section. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

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