fracture

American  

[frak-cher] / ˈfræk tʃər /

noun

1. the breaking of a bone, cartilage, or the like, or the resulting condition.

2. the act of breaking; state of being broken.

3. a break, breach, or split.

4. the characteristic manner of breaking.

   a material of unpredictable fracture.

5. the characteristic appearance of a broken surface, as of a mineral.

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verb (used with object)

fractures, present (3rd person singular) fractured, past participle, past fracturing present participle

1. to cause or to suffer a fracture in (a bone, etc.).

2. to break or crack.

   Synonyms:

   split, rupture, splinter, shatter, smash

3. Slang. to amuse highly or cause to laugh heartily; delight.

   The new comic really fractured the audience.

verb (used without object)

fractures, present (3rd person singular) fractured, past participle, past fracturing present participle

1. to become fractured; break.

   a mineral that does not fracture easily.

fracture British  

/ ˈfræktʃə /

noun

1. the act of breaking or the state of being broken

2. 1. the breaking or cracking of a bone or the tearing of a cartilage

   2. the resulting condition See also Colles' fracture comminuted fracture compound fracture greenstick fracture impacted

3. a division, split, or breach

4. mineralogy

   1. the characteristic appearance of the surface of a freshly broken mineral or rock

   2. the way in which a mineral or rock naturally breaks

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verb

1. to break or cause to break; split

2. to break or crack (a bone) or (of a bone) to become broken or cracked

3. to tear (a cartilage) or (of a cartilage) to become torn

fracture Scientific  

/ frăk′chər /

1. A break or rupture in bone tissue.

2. ◆ A comminuted fracture results in more than two fragments.

3. ◆ Although most fractures are caused by a direct blow or sudden, twisting force, stress fractures result from repetitive physical activity.

4. ◆ In an incomplete fracture, the fracture line does not completely traverse the bone.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• postfracture
  adjective
• fracturable
  adjective
• refracturable
  adjective
• refracture
  verb
• fractural
  adjective
• fracturer
  noun
• unfractured
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have fractured
  perfect
• has fractured
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have been fracturing
  perfect progressive
• are fracturing
  progressive
• is fracturing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am fracturing
  progressive 1st person singular
• has been fracturing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• fracturing
  participle
• fractures
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had fractured
  perfect
• were fracturing
  progressive plural
• was fracturing
  progressive singular
• had been fracturing
  perfect progressive
• fractured
  simple
• fractured
  participle

Future

• will fracture
  simple
• will have fractured
  perfect
• will be fracturing
  progressive
• will have been fracturing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of fracture

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin frāctūra “a breach, cleft, fracture,” from frāct(us) “broken” (past participle of frangere “to break, shatter”; see also break) + -ūra -ure

Explanation

Think of something hard breaking in a crisp, snapping manner, and you've just imagined a fracture. The word is most often applied to a broken bone, but it can used to describe any sharp, sudden break of something solid. The Latin frāctus means "broken," and its descendant fracture can mean any break, though it's most often associated with a hard — maybe even brittle — material, such as a bone, a rock, or the earth’s crust. When something softer is split we say it is torn. For example, when we say someone broke an arm, we are referring to the bone, not the muscle; we'd say the muscle is torn. When someone funny "breaks us up," we might say "you fracture me!"

Example Sentences

Their scenes of fracture and forgiveness become as strong an emotional spine as their parents’ late-in-life romance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

“Blue Heron” is a breathtakingly candid glimpse into a fracture that can’t be treated, quietly deepening and becoming more severe over time.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

Vine suffered concussion and an elbow fracture, while Soler has a pelvic fracture.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

In contrast, the group that did not receive the hormone experienced an increase in visceral fat, which is typically seen during recovery from a hip fracture.

From Science Daily • May 7, 2026

Then I watched as the little wisp of smoke drifted toward the floor of the airlock, disappearing through a hairline fracture.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• crack
• fissure
• wound