as in slivers
a small flat piece separated from a whole
she got a splinter from the unfinished wall
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Recent Examples of splinters
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
From removing splinters or opening bandages, to snagging ingrown hairs and tightening eyeglass screws, tweezers are one of those travel essentials that my mom never regrets packing.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Similarly, older floors tend to creak and squeak underfoot, and may even have loose staples, nails, or wooden splinters that can put you at risk.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 25 Feb. 2026
The fungus enters the body through small cuts or puncture wounds, often from rose thorns or splinters.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Jeff Clanagan painted a picture of a landscape in which movie stardom is no longer protected by traditional channels, as attention splinters across platforms and audiences fragment.
—Josh Rottenberg, Twin Cities, 31 Dec. 2025
The paper also prevents wear and tear on the wood surface and keeps small splinters from snagging delicate clothing.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
After cutting and trimming any splinters, place the stakes behind the trellis.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
There’s splinters on the floor.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2025
Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Megyn Kelly is continuing her hard-right tack, lashing back at Ben Shapiro and aligning herself with Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon as the MAGA movement dramatically splinters.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025
Rumors are swirling in Kansas political circles that Republican leaders are considering initiating a special session like the one that just concluded in Missouri and produced a new map that splinters Kansas City into three congressional districts.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Instead of picking a single character to follow for the duration of the film, Cregger splinters the mystery among six people, separated into distinct chapters, beginning with Justine.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Their performance is stoking a rising sense of anxiety among Democrats as their vote splinters among a field of eight contenders, with the head of the state party calling on low-polling candidates to quit by April 15.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
From removing splinters or opening bandages, to snagging ingrown hairs and tightening eyeglass screws, tweezers are one of those travel essentials that my mom never regrets packing.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Similarly, older floors tend to creak and squeak underfoot, and may even have loose staples, nails, or wooden splinters that can put you at risk.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 25 Feb. 2026
The fungus enters the body through small cuts or puncture wounds, often from rose thorns or splinters.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Jeff Clanagan painted a picture of a landscape in which movie stardom is no longer protected by traditional channels, as attention splinters across platforms and audiences fragment.
—Josh Rottenberg, Twin Cities, 31 Dec. 2025
The paper also prevents wear and tear on the wood surface and keeps small splinters from snagging delicate clothing.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
After cutting and trimming any splinters, place the stakes behind the trellis.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
There’s splinters on the floor.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
Endlessly switching between apps and online platforms splinters our attention and can lead to digital exhaustion, leaving us anxious, apathetic and unfocused.
—Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Megyn Kelly is continuing her hard-right tack, lashing back at Ben Shapiro and aligning herself with Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon as the MAGA movement dramatically splinters.
—Kimberly Nordyke, HollywoodReporter, 23 Dec. 2025
Rumors are swirling in Kansas political circles that Republican leaders are considering initiating a special session like the one that just concluded in Missouri and produced a new map that splinters Kansas City into three congressional districts.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Instead of picking a single character to follow for the duration of the film, Cregger splinters the mystery among six people, separated into distinct chapters, beginning with Justine.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splinters
Noun
-
How much America’s Culinary Cup relies on head-to-head cook-offs to send people home gives all those slivers of information a little more urgency, though.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
-
On the tea-time menu that Wednesday is Vazhakkai Bajji, green plantain slivers folded into spicy chickpea batter, deep-fried a crisp orange-brown and presented on a banana leaf with a coconut dipping chutney on the side.—
Kalpana Mohan,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The map slices through Kansas City, splitting the city’s voters across three Republican-leaning districts.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Toast 2–4 slices bread of choice (such as country-style sourdough or multigrain).—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Surely there was something more beneath all this mild pleasantness, some edge of resentment, a few shards of indignation on the brink of cutting through.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Cristobal’s arc can use a mite more variance overall, but her playing of Margot’s inner-torture from having to live with the literal shards of blood on her neck is effective.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Consider two investors, one who invests $7,500 at the beginning of the year, and another who chops it up into $288 biweekly investments.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The proposal chops $150 million from the Developmental Disabilities Administration, which battled against the largest budget cut in last year's negotiations.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Other National Burrito Day Deals Tocaya - Tocaya Rewards Members will receive a free side of chips and guacamole with the purchase of a burrito from Tocaya on National Burrito Day.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
This flavor is made with in-season strawberries and packed with Graeter's dark chocolate chips.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Throughout her lifetime, muralist and collector Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad — who splits her time between Minnesota and California — has built a collection of paintings, sculptures and religious art that showcases the intersection of the geography of the American West with Latin American culture.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Christian Brothers is among the largest private schools in New Jersey, a state that splits its playoffs into private and public school divisions.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the fragments were recovered in Ohio and Texas.—
Briana Alvarado,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Ready-to-eat pizza and focaccia are also being recalled over possible metal fragments, including those sold by Trader Joe's, Hello Fresh and more.—
Kristin Scharkey,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splinters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splinters. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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