1 C1 neutral
Of a material (especially wood), to break into many sharp, jagged fragments
"The old door had splintered up along its entire length from the force of the impact."
inseparable
splinter up
C1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To break or fragment into many sharp or small pieces
In plain English
To break into lots of small sharp pieces, like when wood cracks apart
What does "splinter up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
Of a group or organization, to divide completely into smaller, opposing factions
"The coalition splintered up after the leaders failed to agree on economic policy."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To break up into splinters — mostly transparent
Actually means
To break into lots of small sharp pieces, like when wood cracks apart
Usage tip
Less common than 'splinter off' or simply 'splinter.' Often used to describe wood, organizations, or political groups fragmenting completely. The 'up' particle intensifies the sense of total disintegration. Relatively rare in everyday speech; more common in written or journalistic contexts.
Words that pair with "splinter up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
wood party coalition group organization structure
How to conjugate "splinter up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
splinter up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
splinters up
he/she/it
Past simple
splintered up
yesterday
Past participle
splintered up
have + pp
-ing form
splintering up
continuous
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