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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Health inspectors first visited the store on March 25 and 26, and observed fresh rodent dropping in multiple areas of the deli section, including the preparation and equipment storage area, the back of the house and by doors separating the hallway to the main sales floor. —Stephanie Lam, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025 In 2024, American Forests began a $10 million contract with the Fish & Wildlife Service to reforest 800 acres (including 200 the agency’s job solicitation noted was lost to the construction of a section of border wall). —Laura Mallonee, Wired News, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
While working in sections can feel time-consuming, sectioning your hair at the right point in your routine can save you a lot of time. —Annie Blay, Allure, 23 Dec. 2024 Adding contrast to the steel profiles are expansive glass walls and sleek steel racks that section the space into distinct areas for the brand’s latest women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collections, accessories and footwear. —Denni Hu, WWD, 13 Dec. 2024 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
  • The Massapequa school district sued the state, but a federal judge ruled against the district.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Park district lands grant for garden lot permeable pavers Naperville Park District will use a $785,308 grant to install a permeable paver parking lot at the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of district
Noun
  • Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Washington returned its portion of its $33 million settlement to its Medicaid Fraud Penalty Account.
    — Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of portion
Verb
  • As clouds of thick smoke and dust began to part, the horror set in.
    — Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The clouds parted, and Fuji-san emerged to show off its snowcapped peak before the clouds once again obscured it from view, leaving us instead to admire Suruga Bay below.
    — Kristen E. Pope, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of part
Noun
  • Officers picked up a child answering to Dylan in the Lykins neighborhood of east Kansas City around 6 p.m., near the intersection of Independence and Drury avenues, according to a KCPD spokesperson.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian writer whose novels spoke of the human quest for freedom and won him the Nobel Prize for literature in 2010, was once a frequent visitor to Lima’s Café Haiti in the upscale Miraflores neighborhood.
    — Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of neighborhood
Noun
  • The higher-margin broadband segment partially subsidizes mobile, which on its own would not be as attractive of a business, according to KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Brandon Nispel.
    — Russell Leung,Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2025
  • But because of the way Tony Gilroy has structured each season as a quartet of three-hour arcs, the release schedule makes sense, giving viewers a chance to gobble up each segment of the larger story in one go, rather than spreading the whole thing out over many months(*).
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of segment
Verb
  • After Wednesday’s win in Chicago, only one road win over the Hawks separates the Heat from making the playoffs for the sixth straight season.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Since our family has been separated, I have been devastated and confused.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of separate
Noun
  • Blackmon allegedly drove up to 72 miles per hour in 35 mph zones, swerved into oncoming traffic and drove the wrong way on a one-way street throughout the pursuit, according to court documents.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The 76-year-old billionaire called for a free trade zone between the EU and the U.S. — echoing similar comments from Elon Musk — and said the current trade tensions could seriously hurt European industries.
    — Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of zone
Verb
  • Paula Jo’s is one of the few storylines that remains fragmented by the end of Season 1, which leaves room for twists and turns if the show is greenlit for a second season.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The rate dropped slightly in 2024, but the violence continues as criminal groups have adapted and fragmented in the wake of a government crackdown.
    — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 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 29 Apr. 2025.

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