PIECE Synonyms: 218 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'piece' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piece are division , fragment , member , part , portion , section , and segment . While all these words mean "something less than the whole," piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole. // a puzzle with 500 pieces

Q: When is 'division' a more appropriate choice than 'piece'?

While in some cases nearly identical to piece , division applies to a large or diversified part. // the manufacturing division of the company

Q: When can 'fragment' be used instead of 'piece'?

While the synonyms fragment and piece are close in meaning, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off. // only a fragment of the play still exists

Q: Where would 'member' be a reasonable alternative to 'piece'?

In some situations, the words member and piece are roughly equivalent. However, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body. // a structural member

Q: When might 'part' be a better fit than 'piece'?

The words part and piece can be used in similar contexts, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required. // they ran only part of the way

Q: When would 'portion' be a good substitute for 'piece'?

Although the words portion and piece have much in common, portion implies an assigned or allotted part. // cut the pie into six portions

Q: When could 'section' be used to replace 'piece'?

The meanings of section and piece largely overlap; however, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part. // the entertainment section of the newspaper

Q: In what contexts can 'segment' take the place of 'piece'?

The words segment and piece are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, segment applies to a part separated or marked out by or as if by natural lines of cleavage. // the retired segment of the population

piece 1 of 2

noun

ˈpēs

Definition of piece next

as in fragment

a broken or irregular part of something that often remains incomplete a piece of stone fell from the crumbling wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in composition

a literary, musical, or artistic production presented a new interpretation of the piece by Mozart

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in firearm

a portable weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder carrying a piece under his coat

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in portion

something belonging to, due to, or contributed by an individual member of a group believes his piece of the profits should be higher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piece

2 of 2

verb

as in to build

to form by putting together parts or materials you might want to piece together a quilt from those odd patches of cloth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word piece distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piece are division, fragment, member, part, portion, section, and segment. While all these words mean "something less than the whole," piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When is division a more appropriate choice than piece?

While in some cases nearly identical to piece, division applies to a large or diversified part.

the manufacturing division of the company

When can fragment be used instead of piece?

While the synonyms fragment and piece are close in meaning, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

Where would member be a reasonable alternative to piece?

In some situations, the words member and piece are roughly equivalent. However, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

When might part be a better fit than piece?

The words part and piece can be used in similar contexts, but part is a general term appropriate when indefiniteness is required.

they ran only part of the way

When would portion be a good substitute for piece?

Although the words portion and piece have much in common, portion implies an assigned or allotted part.

cut the pie into six portions

When could section be used to replace piece?

The meanings of section and piece largely overlap; however, section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

In what contexts can segment take the place of piece?

The words segment and piece are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 piece

Noun

The public offers a piece of its mind Mic's Celeste Katz discloses that Trump's controversial voter fraud panel won't let the public speak at its first meeting on July 19 but did solicit emails. —

The Hive, 14 July 2017 Alan Jacobs, a professor at Baylor University, has written eloquently about that last piece. —

Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 14 July 2017

Verb

Cleveland’s rotation was decimated with injuries throughout the season, yet the organization kept finding ways to piece five starters together all the way up through the American League Championship Series. —

Jason Lloyd, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024 But while the tax was a bold step, the ACA’s lead negotiators had navigated various interest groups to piece the bill together and were afraid of whom their new tax might provoke. —

Paul Kiel, ProPublica, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for piece

Recent Examples of Synonyms for piece

Noun

These worms have long white tentacles and live in tubes made of coral fragments.

— Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025
Today, their bones are few and far between, found typically in isolation and in fragments.

— Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025