fragmented
Americanadjective
-
reduced to fragments.
-
existing or functioning as though broken into separate parts; disorganized; disunified.
a fragmented personality; a fragmented society.
Usage
What does fragmented mean? Fragmented is an adjective that describes things that have been reduced or divided into fragments—pieces that have been broken off of or detached from the whole.Fragment most commonly refers to a part that has broken off rather than one that has been separated gently or intentionally, like fragments of a broken vase or a broken bone. Such things can be described as fragmented.As a verb, fragment can mean to break into pieces or disintegrate, as in The empire fragmented into multiple states after the emperor’s death. Such an empire could be described as fragmented.Fragmented is perhaps most often applied to abstract or intangible things like this, in which case it usually means disorganized or disunified in some way. For example, a fragmented society is one in which there is an extreme lack of unity among different groups. This sense of the word often implies that the thing described as fragmented is broken or unhealthy in some way.The verb fragmentize can mean the same thing as the verb sense of fragment, and the adjective fragmentized is a synonym of fragmented.The related adjective fragmentary means something different: consisting of or reduced to fragments—disconnected or incomplete, as in fragmentary evidence.Example: My attention becomes fragmented when I’m working on too many projects.
Other Word Forms
- nonfragmented adjective
- overfragmented adjective
- unfragmented adjective
Etymology
Origin of fragmented
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One key to his success has been his demolition of the fragmented, old opposition parties.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
In contrast, shallow sleep was linked to minimal or fragmented experiences, such as a vague sense of presence without clear dream content.
From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026
The regulatory architecture is vast, fragmented and largely incoherent.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
There is a lingering loss of goodwill after years of sanctions and trade disputes, he noted, and over time that could “point to a more fragmented geopolitical landscape.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026
Another fragmented language group is the Austroasiatic family, whose most widely spoken languages are Vietnamese and Cambodian.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
