1. The act of chipping something
   "The splintering of the wood created a mess on the workshop floor";
   - chipping

1. Withdraw or split from an organization, state, or alliance
   "Several members splintered from the main party";
   - secede, break away
    
2. Divide into slivers or splinters
   "The wood splintered under the force of the impact";
   - sliver
    
3. Break up into splinters or slivers
   "The wood splintered";
   - sliver

Derived forms: splinterings

Type of: break, break up, breakage, breaking, carve up, dissever [rare], divide, fragment, fragmentise [Brit], fragmentize, part, separate, split, split up

Encyclopedia: Splinter