Definition of itemnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun item contrast with its synonyms?

The words detail and particular are common synonyms of item. While all three words mean "one of the distinct parts of a whole," item applies to each thing specified separately in a list or in a group of things that might be listed or enumerated.

every item on the list

When might detail be a better fit than item?

The synonyms detail and item are sometimes interchangeable, but detail applies to one of the small component parts of a larger whole such as a task, building, painting, narration, or process.

leave the details to others

When would particular be a good substitute for item?

Although the words particular and item have much in common, particular stresses the smallness, singleness, and especially the concreteness of a detail or item.

a description that included few particulars

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 item In 1980, the average American bought 12-14 clothing items a year. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 To get a real feel of how the locals live, OCT-LOFT, Happy, and MixC malls are landscaped outdoor shopping areas, chock-full of bespoke stores and cafes that sell items like milk teas, home decor, and artisan jewelry. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026 Some private-label items aren’t designed to resemble a specific national brand at all. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Nearly every piece of decor/furniture had been destroyed leaving glass and sharp items everywhere. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for item
Recent Examples of Synonyms for item
Noun
  • And of course there's the throttle, which makes the whole thing even easier up to a limited top speed of 17 mph (27 km/h).
    — Loz Blain October 26, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
  • From a career-high 155 yards from Javonte Williams to the defense making just enough stops to allow the offense to do its thing, the Cowboys gained a little bit of their swagger back in the City of Brotherly Love.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But creating a government database of gun owners also could put people at risk, if the information is hacked and leaked, Leary said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • When an email involves your Social Security information, go directly to the government website and check for yourself.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • That's the stuff that my opponent has voted for at the state capital.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • On the sweet side, several of our editors adore Coop’s dessert sauces, which far exceed the usual grocery store stuff.
    — Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • See the festival website for ticket info and full descriptions.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But without all of this info and access, the AI agents aren’t very useful.
    — Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Understanding exactly how fusion works, in the grittiest detail, is therefore of extreme interest to nuclear-weapons scientists.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The distance can be reported as Ukraine’s claim without adding equipment details that remain uncertain.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Same Curve, Every Time Skeptics have been telling this story for a hundred years.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But after Gouken’s tragic murder — the particulars will eventually be revealed in flashbacks — Ken and Ryu went their separate ways, Ken never forgiving Ryu for failing to save Gouken’s life.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • His laserlike focus on the particulars of the story doesn’t leave much room for extrapolation; even the infuriating case of bureaucratic overreach that the film depicts can easily be understood, and perhaps even defended, as an aberration.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Disenchantment with the current political and economic system has also reached a point where socialism has grown more popular among Americans.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Talarico led Paxton by 2 points in recent polls for the November election, according to a RealClearPolitics average.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 21 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster