splinter

A small, thin, sharp piece broken off wood or another material.

• I have a splinter in my finger.
• She removed the splinter with tweezers.
• Sharp splinters of glass covered the floor.

Similar words: sliver, fragment

Common phrases: a wood splinter, remove a splinter, a glass splinter

To break into thin, sharp pieces.

• The dry wood splintered easily.
• The window frame splintered under the weight.
• Will this board splinter if I bend it?

How to use it: splinter into something (The wooden handle splintered into sharp pieces.)

Similar words: shatter, break

Common phrases: splinter into pieces, wood can splinter

To make something break into thin, sharp pieces.

• The blow splintered the wood.
• Falling branches splintered the fence.
• He splintered the door frame with a hammer.

Similar words: shatter, break

Common phrases: splinter the wood, splinter a door