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

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
He was elected to represent the 1st District in 2022, after officials sectioned the city. —Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2025 Towel dry, then section your hair into six equal parts for even application. —Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
Best Amazon Prime Day Comfortable Shoe Deals Amazon’s sale shoe section is chock-full of top brands. —Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2025 Fortunately, Free People’s sale section is bursting at the seams right now — featuring longline shorts made for pairing with cowboy boots, oversized crewnecks you’ll be tempted to throw on over your bikini once the sun goes down, and similar seasonal essentials. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 9 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
  • In the Caribbean, Jamaica's Port Royal town—a historical district dating back to the 17th century—was also added to the list.
    — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2025
  • Meanwhile, as districts in Alabama return to school within three weeks, Mackey warned some programs may be eliminated for years to come.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2025
Definition of district
Noun
  • The Council of Economic Advisers, an agency within the presidential executive office, estimates that changes in the legislation will help push the portion of seniors with exemptions and deductions exceeding Social Security income to 88%, from 64% under current law.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 7 July 2025
  • By Tuesday, major heat risk will shift further east and affect coastal and other portions of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
    — Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
Definition of portion
Verb
  • Would Anthopoulos be willing to go for it by parting from a promising young catcher to get a pitcher of Giolito's reliability in return?
    — Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
  • Cardi’s hair was parted to the side with the front portion teased up for several inches of volume at the root, then styled in big, loose curls that matched the romantic-goth vibes of her sheer black beaded gown.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 July 2025
Definition of part
Noun
  • Project aims to protect Manatee River, neighborhoods Installing a temporary lift station on Riverside Drive East will allow the wastewater system to temporarily bypass Lift Station No. 13 and prevent the old system from failing.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 9 July 2025
  • Citywide violent crime is down about 3% compared to last year, but certain neighborhoods like Over-the-Rhine have experienced a big spike.
    — Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 9 July 2025
Definition of neighborhood
Noun
  • Simultaneously, Russia's larger army is renewing its offensive along segments of the 620-mile front line, putting additional pressure on Ukrainian defenders.
    — Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
  • The show is described as having a short-form format, combining breaking news, entertainment segments and viral videos.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
Definition of segment
Verb
  • What also helps separate their value is that Dobson’s a righty, to complement Hutson’s left-handedness.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 July 2025
  • Much depends on whether the resin can be separated from other wastes.
    — LEW SICHELMAN, Miami Herald, 10 July 2025
Definition of separate
Noun
  • Tennessee is split between the Eastern and Central time zones.
    — Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 12 July 2025
  • Active search and rescue operations are ongoing, and crews require a 100-yard clearance zone on both sides of the creeks.
    — Robbie Farias, Austin American Statesman, 12 July 2025
Definition of zone
Verb
  • As a result, pain education is often fragmented or squeezed into pharmacology or palliative care modules, if it’s included at all.
    — Hany Demian, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • In the Internet era, content is not only abundant but increasingly fragmented.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 10 July 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 21 Jul. 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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
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 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
a plate of arepas
Name That Dish! Some mouth-watering food for thought
See All