1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
tried to restore their shattered hopes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to smash
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
shattered the sealed clay pot to find out what was inside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to demolish
to cause to break with violence and much noise
shattered the priceless vase in one clumsy fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in splinter
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shatter
Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Another posted later shows plumes of smoke rising from the wreckage, with windows in adjacent buildings shattered.
—Adam Pourahmadi, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
When the shards of symbolic celebration shatter, they are often left to navigate the jagged realities of structural and institutional neglect.
—Jallicia Jolly, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shatter
Verb
Her pelvis was shattered and fractures were detected on 24 ribs.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Another posted later shows plumes of smoke rising from the wreckage, with windows in adjacent buildings shattered.
—Adam Pourahmadi, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
Gold and silver prices fell sharply on Friday, snapping a powerful rally that has seen the metals shatter multiple records this year.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
When the shards of symbolic celebration shatter, they are often left to navigate the jagged realities of structural and institutional neglect.
—Jallicia Jolly, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
Verb
-
Later, a fire at Hall’s grandmother’s house would destroy most of his magic act.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
This time around, in that first wave of strikes on February 28, American cruise missiles targeted and destroyed a building that ended up being a girls’ school—killing more than 168 young children who had just started their day of classes.—
Connor Okeeffe,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Littleton police say the driver behind the wheel of a semi-truck that crashed into a QuickTrip on West Belleview Avenue and smashed a car against a wall is facing careless driving charges.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Kayleigh Martin smashed a home run, Chloe Veator drove in two runs in Tewksbury’s 4-3 nonleague win over Woburn.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike typical wooden options, this one offers much easier maintenance thanks to its high-density polyethylene (HDPE) build that won’t require repainting nor leave you with pesky splinters.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 Mar. 2026
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Injuries range from mouth splinters and choking to bowel blockages, eye damage, wounds, infections, or even sticks penetrating the body; vets have treated severe cases, some fatal.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
29 Mar. 2026
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Accused of ruining baseball with their big-spending ways the past two years, the noise has only gotten louder as a labor showdown looms.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The project, which was announced by the White House in July, became a highly controversial undertaking when the East Wing was suddenly demolished to accommodate the 90,000 square foot ballroom.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Panorama City facility is set to demolish its main ice rink, leaving athletes who use the center with a smaller, non-regulation rink.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Surely there was something more beneath all this mild pleasantness, some edge of resentment, a few shards of indignation on the brink of cutting through.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Cristobal’s arc can use a mite more variance overall, but her playing of Margot’s inner-torture from having to live with the literal shards of blood on her neck is effective.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The mother of a 7-month-old girl killed by a stray bullet while sitting in her stroller in Brooklyn is devastated by Wednesday's horrific tragedy.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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On May 18, 1980, the north slope of Mount Saint Helens, a volcanic peak in the Cascades Range, was blasted away in an eruption that killed 57 people and devastated an area of approximately 200 square miles.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Pitchers and batters are both worse than a coin-flip at issuing challenges – blown calls in a matter of seconds.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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