English Reference

Word

shards

US/ˈʃɑɹdz/

UK/ʃˈɑːdz/

Definition

n. sharp, broken pieces of something hard like glass, metal, or stone. You usually find them after something has smashed or exploded.

n. sharp fragments of a brittle substance, such as glass, ceramic, or metal, typically resulting from a forceful breakage.

Examples

“Be careful of the glass shards on the floor.”

“The explosion sent shards of metal flying across the room, damaging the nearby furniture.”

“Archaeologists carefully sifted through the dirt to recover tiny ceramic shards that might reveal the decorative patterns used by the ancient civilization.”

Examples

simple

“Be careful of the glass shards on the floor.”

contextual

“The explosion sent shards of metal flying across the room, damaging the nearby furniture.”

complex

“Archaeologists carefully sifted through the dirt to recover tiny ceramic shards that might reveal the decorative patterns used by the ancient civilization.”

Usage

Typically used in the plural to describe a collection of fragments; the singular 'shard' refers to one specific piece.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference