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

Relevance
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
  • Sharing a name with the residential district in London where Grande reportedly lived while filming Wicked in 2023, the track is widely believed to be written about the Oscar nominee’s split from ex-husband Dalton Gomez.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Part of the whimsical display included pieces upholstered with Hemispheres Collection textiles in Milan’s evocative Cinque Vie district.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of district
Noun
  • Divers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) are continuing to search for the helicopter’s main rotor, main gear box, tail rotor and a large portion of the tail boom, NTSB said.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Still, with nearly 2.6 million living in the U.S., Salvadorans are the third-largest Hispanic group in the country and portions of the population may be vulnerable to mass-deportation efforts.
    — David Catanese, Miami Herald, 14 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
  • Other performers this season include Noah Kahan, Michael B. Jordan, Samara Joy, Chris Stapleton, Renee Rapp, Jonathan Van Ness and Billie Jean King joining for songs and other segments.
    — Jem Aswad, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025
  • One recent example that offers broader lessons for executives across sectors comes from the mental health innovation space, specifically the biotech and therapeutics segment.
    — Natalie Dolphin, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of segment
Verb
  • Heading into final rotation, the two championship hopefuls were separated by just 0.075.
    — Henry Chappell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
  • 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
Definition of separate
Noun
  • Chisholm had just struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch that appeared out of the zone, leading to an argument from Chisholm and an attempt at intervention from Aaron Boone.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Section.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/section. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on section

Nglish: Translation of section for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All