division

noun

də-ˈvi-zhən How to pronounce division (audio)
Definition of divisionnext
1
as in divider
something that divides, separates, or marks off we poked our heads over the division between the yards to see what the fuss was about

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in department
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the complaints division handled all of the calls from the angry townsfolk

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in category
one of the units into which a whole is divided on the basis of a common characteristic one of the major divisions of birds

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in split
the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces the assembly line was a major development in the division of labor among workers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in distribution
the act or process of giving out something to each member of a group the person in charge of the division of the profits among the business partners

Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in discord
a lack of agreement or harmony that church has been racked by division for some time now, and a split into two denominations seems unavoidable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word division distinct from other similar nouns?

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

the manufacturing division of the company

When would fragment be a good substitute for division?

While in some cases nearly identical to division, fragment applies to a part produced by or as if by breaking off.

only a fragment of the play still exists

When can member be used instead of division?

While the synonyms member and division are close in meaning, member suggests one of the functional units composing a body.

a structural member

Where would part be a reasonable alternative to division?

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

they ran only part of the way

In what contexts can piece take the place of division?

In some situations, the words piece and division are roughly equivalent. However, piece applies to a separate or detached part of a whole.

a puzzle with 500 pieces

When is portion a more appropriate choice than division?

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

cut the pie into six portions

When could section be used to replace division?

The synonyms section and division are sometimes interchangeable, but section applies to a relatively small or uniform part.

the entertainment section of the newspaper

When is it sensible to use segment instead of division?

The words segment and division 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 division Bucky Irving ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns as the Bucs racked up 258 yards on the ground on 49 carries, and Tampa Bay's defense forced four turnovers in Sunday's 43-13 rout of the division rival Carolina Panthers. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Joe Burrow needs to step up again and be the best quarterback in the division. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 The case was handled by Allenna Bangs, a deputy criminal division chief at the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026 The episode was a bitter lesson for the group, resulting in resentment and division. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for division
Recent Examples of Synonyms for division
  1. divider
  2. department
  3. category
  4. split
  5. distribution
  6. discord
  7. fence
  8. agency
Noun
  • Vertical dividers make baking sheets and trays easier to grab, while deep drawers, narrow pullouts and toe-kick drawers give hard-to-store items a dedicated spot.
    — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The bird, which some witnesses guessed was a parrot, was seen perching on people’s heads and line dividers, landing on luggage and carry-on bags and even trying to nip at some travelers.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of divider
Noun
  • To accommodate those patients who’ve been admitted but don’t have a room, the hospital has installed dozens of beds in what was once the emergency department’s waiting room and in adjacent spaces.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The local police department is conducting a criminal investigation into the events leading up to the collision and the actions of those involved, Kinnan said Wednesday.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of department
Noun
  • The alliance will fund work on species in the three highest-risk categories (endangered, critically endangered, and extinct in the wild), which together include more than 31,000 species.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The category saw orders triple as shoppers sought out fragrances, K-beauty skin care and took inspiration from spring 2027 looks with glowy skin, smoky eyes and textured hair.
    — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of category
Noun
  • If a split occurred, the black hole’s horizon — the boundary beyond which light cannot escape — would divide into two separate horizons.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The Brax Wink features a BlackBerry-style design with the front split between a 4-inch display and a full physical keyboard.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of split
Noun
  • The two saw that media companies were overly reliant on social media for distribution, and that profits were flowing to the likes of Facebook rather than to the creators of content.
    — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • But permission for the public distribution or posting of either the video or photos was not given by the bishops.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of distribution
Noun
  • Once the wicker creation proves far more extraordinary, discord and jealousy upset the fisherwoman’s quiet village.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Dolan was right that distractions can trip up a team, sowing just enough discord among its players to derail their chances at another title, and cut short their fans' chances at another joyous summer.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of discord
Noun
  • North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, anti-tank barriers and other fortifications to what’s already one of the world’s most heavily armed borders as Kim Jong Un pushes a hard line toward Seoul.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The fences that separate the dry fields and the doors that allow you through them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of fence
Noun
  • The Ebola outbreak that began in DR Congo is becoming a continental crisis after authorities initially underestimated its spread, the head of Africa’s public health agency told Semafor as new cases were reported as far afield as Nigeria.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Trump could direct federal agencies to adopt a different name for the Atlantic or Pacific.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of agency

Browse Nearby Words

divisible
division
divisional
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Division.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/division. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on division

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about division

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All