Splintered: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when describing something that has broken into long, thin pieces, often wood.

• The old wooden door splintered when it was kicked open.
• She stepped on the splintered plank and hurt her foot.

Describes something that has been completely destroyed into many small pieces, often glass or something fragile. Can also be used metaphorically.

• The window shattered into a thousand pieces.
• Her dreams were shattered when she didn't get the job.

Describes something that has been broken into smaller pieces, often used for abstract things like thoughts or plans.

• His fragmented memories made it hard to understand what happened.
• The once unified company has become fragmented after the takeover.

Typically used in medical contexts to describe a bone that has cracked or broken.

• The X-ray showed that he had a fractured rib.
• She suffered a fractured ankle from the fall.

General term for something that is no longer intact or working, can be used in a variety of contexts.

• The broken vase lay in pieces on the floor.
• He has a broken arm and needs to wear a cast.

Use 'splintered' when talking about something breaking into many small, sharp pieces, often used for wood or similar materials.

• The wooden chair splintered when it fell
• Be careful with the broken toy, it's splintered

Use 'shatter' when talking about something breaking into many small pieces, often with force and noise. Usually refers to glass or delicate objects.

• The mirror shattered when it hit the floor
• The car's windshield shattered in the accident

Use 'fragment' when talking about something breaking into smaller parts, often into irregular, sharp pieces.

• The old statue fragmented over time
• The glass window fragmented during the storm

Use 'break' when talking about something separating into pieces from a single point, often in a general context.

• He accidentally broke the vase
• The glass broke into several pieces

Use 'split' when talking about something separating along a line or into roughly equal parts. It often refers to long objects like logs or groups splitting into smaller groups.

• We split the cake into eight pieces
• The log split in two when struck by the axe