fracture
1 of 2noun
frac·ture ˈfrak-chər 
-shər
1
: the result of fracturing : break
2
a
: the act or process of breaking or the state of being broken
especially : the breaking of hard tissue (such as bone)
b
: the rupture (as by tearing) of soft tissue
kidney fracture
3
: the general appearance of a freshly broken surface of a mineral
fracture
2 of 2verb
fractured; fracturing ˈfrak-chə-riŋ
-shriŋ
transitive verb
1
a
: to cause a crack or fracture in : break
fracture a rib
b
: rupture, tear
2
a
: to damage or destroy as if by rupturing
b
: to cause great disorder in
c
: to break up : fractionate
d
: to go beyond the limits of (something, such as a rule) : violate
… fractured many of the laws of probability …
Sheldon Cheney
Sheldon Cheneyintransitive verb
: to undergo fracture : to crack or break
Her wrist fractured in the fall.
Synonyms
Verb
- break
- break up
- bust
- disintegrate
- dismember
- disrupt
- fragment
- rive
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun a fracture in the Earth's crust She suffered a wrist fracture when she slipped on the ice. Verb Her wrist fractured when she fell on the ice. Their happiness was fractured by an unforeseen tragedy. These problems may fracture the unity of the two parties. Their fragile happiness fractured all too soon. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Jori Epstein, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Plesac suffered a fracture of the fifth metacarpal in his right hand, and Civale, who missed four weeks with a right wrist sprain in July, is making his third trip to the IL after experiencing right forearm inflammation. Joe Noga, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 The 12-year-old, who fell from a bunk bed at a Little League World Series dorm and suffered a skull fracture two weeks ago, is set to be released from a Pennsylvania hospital on Tuesday, his family confirmed on Instagram. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2022 After throwing touchdown passes of eight and 17 yards at Brawley, Leatherwood was sacked and suffered a fracture of the sternoclavicular joint (SC) of the right collarbone. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2022 The team later announced Sale had suffered a fracture of his left pinky finger. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2022 Stephenson may miss the rest of the year and Aramis Garcia reaggravated his left middle finger injury and an MRI revealed a fracture, which could sideline him throughout August. Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 5 Aug. 2022 He was thrown out and left with an injury, which was diagnosed as an avulsion fracture in a finger on his right hand. Andy Kostka, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2022 Hamidou Diallo will miss the rest of the 2021-22 season with a left index finger avulsion fracture, the Detroit Pistons announced Friday. Omari Sankofa Ii, Detroit Free Press, 25 Mar. 2022 Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2022 Speaking at a political fundraiser near Washington, D.C., Biden said Putin launched the invasion believing Russian troops would achieve a swift victory that would fracture NATO and the European Union, Reuters reported. Grayson Quay, The Week, 10 May 2022 The Kremlin entered the war expecting a quick and painless victory, predicting that the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky would fracture and that leading officials in the largely Russian-speaking eastern region would gladly switch sides. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 7 May 2022 The document said a bolt in the rear axle mounting could fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect, increasing the risk of the vehicle accidentally rolling away while parked when the parking brake is not on. Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 30 Apr. 2022 The ultimate aim is to bring governments to power in Europe that aren’t committed to supporting Ukraine and thus fracture the Western coalition. Michael Stoppard, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022 However, many rely on different sources of truth for different teams, which can create an us-versus-them mentality, reduce productivity, fracture the customer experience and deplete trust. You Mon Tsang, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 Is Maryland ready to put a Democrat back in the governor’s mansion, or will the variety of candidate choices fracture the party’s palate when the general election rolls around? Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2022 The affair allegedly led to a rupture and fracture in the friendship between Musk and Brin, both longtime friends, according to The Journal. Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY, 25 July 2022 See More
Noun
Tyron Smith suffered a knee fracture and hamstring tear that will sideline him until at least December. Jori Epstein, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Plesac suffered a fracture of the fifth metacarpal in his right hand, and Civale, who missed four weeks with a right wrist sprain in July, is making his third trip to the IL after experiencing right forearm inflammation. Joe Noga, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 The 12-year-old, who fell from a bunk bed at a Little League World Series dorm and suffered a skull fracture two weeks ago, is set to be released from a Pennsylvania hospital on Tuesday, his family confirmed on Instagram. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2022 After throwing touchdown passes of eight and 17 yards at Brawley, Leatherwood was sacked and suffered a fracture of the sternoclavicular joint (SC) of the right collarbone. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2022 The team later announced Sale had suffered a fracture of his left pinky finger. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2022 Stephenson may miss the rest of the year and Aramis Garcia reaggravated his left middle finger injury and an MRI revealed a fracture, which could sideline him throughout August. Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 5 Aug. 2022 He was thrown out and left with an injury, which was diagnosed as an avulsion fracture in a finger on his right hand. Andy Kostka, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2022 Hamidou Diallo will miss the rest of the 2021-22 season with a left index finger avulsion fracture, the Detroit Pistons announced Friday. Omari Sankofa Ii, Detroit Free Press, 25 Mar. 2022 Verb
Sometime after 2015 but before the beginning of President Donald Trump’s administration, meme culture started to fracture. Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2022 Speaking at a political fundraiser near Washington, D.C., Biden said Putin launched the invasion believing Russian troops would achieve a swift victory that would fracture NATO and the European Union, Reuters reported. Grayson Quay, The Week, 10 May 2022 The Kremlin entered the war expecting a quick and painless victory, predicting that the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky would fracture and that leading officials in the largely Russian-speaking eastern region would gladly switch sides. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 7 May 2022 The document said a bolt in the rear axle mounting could fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect, increasing the risk of the vehicle accidentally rolling away while parked when the parking brake is not on. Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 30 Apr. 2022 The ultimate aim is to bring governments to power in Europe that aren’t committed to supporting Ukraine and thus fracture the Western coalition. Michael Stoppard, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022 However, many rely on different sources of truth for different teams, which can create an us-versus-them mentality, reduce productivity, fracture the customer experience and deplete trust. You Mon Tsang, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022 Is Maryland ready to put a Democrat back in the governor’s mansion, or will the variety of candidate choices fracture the party’s palate when the general election rolls around? Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2022 The affair allegedly led to a rupture and fracture in the friendship between Musk and Brin, both longtime friends, according to The Journal. Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY, 25 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, borrowed from Latin frāctūra "act of breaking, breaking of a bone," from frāctus (past participle of frangere "to break, shatter") + -ūra -ure — more at break entry 1
Verb
derivative of fracture entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1612, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing fracture
Kids Definition
fracture 1 of 2
noun
frac·ture ˈfrak-chər
: the result of breaking : damage or an injury caused by breaking
a bone fracture
fracture
2 of 2verb
fractured; fracturing
: break entry 1 sense 2
fracture a rib
Medical Definition
fracture 1 of 2
noun
frac·ture ˈfrak-chər, -shər
1
: the act or process of breaking or the state of being broken
specifically : the breaking of hard tissue and especially bone
2
: the rupture (as by tearing) of soft tissue
kidney fracture
fracture
2 of 2transitive verb
fractured; fracturing -chə-riŋ, -shriŋ
1
: to cause a fracture in
fracture a rib
2
: to cause a rupture or tear in
a blow that fractured a kidney
fracturing
verb
1
as in disrupting
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly fractured his arm in the fall Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- disrupting
- breaking
- fragmenting
- disintegrating
- shattering
- splitting
- destroying
- reducing
- crushing
- ruining
- busting
- smashing
- dismembering
- cracking
- grinding
- blasting
- splintering
- riving
- pulverizing
- atomizing
- wrecking
- exploding
- breaking up
- chipping
- detonating
- bursting
- popping
- powdering
- shivering
- imploding
- slivering
- blowing up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- repairing
- healing
- reconstructing
- rebuilding
- fixing
- patching
- mending
- renovating
- reconditioning
- doctoring
2
as in violating
to fail to keep civil liberties that have been fractured by the government's actions Synonyms & Similar Words
- violating
- breaking
- breaching
- offending
- transgressing
- contravening
- traducing
- ignoring
- disobeying
- rebelling
- disregarding
- neglecting
- resisting
- infringing (on or upon)
- flouting
- withstanding
- overpassing
- slighting
- defying
- scorning
- overlooking
- dismissing
- blowing off
- passing over
- tuning out
- shrugging off
- poohing
- brushing (off)
- pooh-poohing
- winking (at)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- following
- observing
- obeying
- conforming (to)
- serving
- yielding (to)
- complying (with)
- submitting (to)
- regarding
- marking
- attending
- hearing
- listening (to)
- noting
- watching
- surrendering (to)
- minding
- deferring (to)
- noticing
- heeding