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)

fractured, fracturing

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)

fractured, fracturing

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

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

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”; break ) + -ūra -ure

Example Sentences

They tend to form gradually as confidence begins to fracture, often invisibly at first.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

The results are used to diagnose osteoporosis, assess a person's risk of fracture and evaluate body composition.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Observing fracture in liquids that are still fully in their liquid state shows that breaking is not limited to elastic materials.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

The elite, such as it is, starts to fracture.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

“Oh, nothing like that. My sister Sudha met with fracture sometime back,” Comrade Pillai said, as though Fracture were a visiting dignitary.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

Related Words

• crack
• fissure
• wound