Fragment: meaning, definitions and examples

Use 'fragment' when referring to a small part broken off or detached from an object.

• The archaeologists found a fragment of ancient pottery.
• She only had a fragment of the original manuscript.

Use 'piece' to describe a portion of an object, often one that has been separated from the whole.

• He gave me a piece of his mind.
• I need a piece of paper.

Use 'part' to refer to a segment or component of a whole, emphasizing its role in the larger system or context.

• The engine parts are being assembled in the factory.
• She is playing a major part in the project.

Use 'bit' in informal situations to describe a small piece or quantity of something.

• Can I have a bit of your sandwich?
• I only need a bit of sugar for the recipe.

Use 'shard' when referring to a sharp, broken piece, often of glass or pottery.

• She stepped on a shard of glass.
• The floor was covered in shards from the broken vase.

Use 'shred' to describe a small, thin strip that's been torn or cut from an object. Often used in negative or destructive contexts.

• He tore the letter into shreds.
• The document was shredded for security reasons.

Used when referring to a small, broken piece of something larger, often physical objects or incomplete texts.

• He found a fragment of pottery in the soil
• The letter was burned, but a fragment was still readable

Used for a short part taken from a text, speech, or music, usually for reference or analysis.

• The article included an excerpt from her new book
• We heard an excerpt from the opera

Refers to a segment of written or spoken text, often several sentences or paragraphs long, usually for reading or quoting.

• He read a passage from the novel
• The teacher explained the meaning of the passage

Commonly refers to a portion taken out of the whole, especially in written or verbal form. Can also mean a concentrated substance derived from something.

• She shared an extract from her essay during the class
• Vanilla extract is used in baking

Refers to a small and often quick-to-read or listen-to piece of information or text, usually informal or trivial.

• She shared a snippet of her day on social media
• I caught a snippet of their conversation as I walked by

Used for a part or section of something larger, typically food, tasks, or other divisible items.

• He allocated a portion of his income for savings
• The portion sizes at the restaurant are generous

Use when referring to breaking something into smaller pieces, often in the context of physical objects, ideas, or texts.

• The vase fell off the shelf and fragmented
• The author fragmented the story into different chapters

Commonly used in everyday language to describe the act of causing something to come apart or stop functioning. Can refer to physical objects, relationships, or routines.

• She tried to break the cookie in half
• They decided to break their partnership

Used to describe breaking something into many tiny, sharp pieces, often glass or other brittle materials. Can also describe destroying an abstract concept or feeling.

• The window shattered when it was struck by the baseball
• The news shattered her hopes for the future

Describes dividing something into parts, often suggesting a more even or intentional division compared to 'break'. This word can be used for both physical and abstract separations.

• Let's split the bill equally
• After years of disagreements, the band finally split

Often used in a formal or scientific context to describe something breaking down into its smallest components, typically due to decay, extreme force, or adverse conditions.

• The ancient scrolls disintegrated upon touch
• The spaceship started to disintegrate upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere

Used when describing the action of dividing or moving apart elements that were once together, can refer to both physical and abstract separations.

• Please separate the laundry into whites and colors
• They decided to separate the tasks among team members