shatters 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of shatter
1
as in destroys
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of tried to restore their shattered hopes

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2
as in smashes
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

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3

shatters

2 of 2

noun

plural of shatter

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shatters
Noun
The shift change shatters my sleep like a robin’s egg crashing against pavement. Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025 Most sitcoms that cast celebrities to play themselves go the Thompson route, crafting a character that completely shatters the person’s public image. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025 Trump's action shatters this precedent, inviting chaos. Dan Irvine, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025 Researchers say communities like Bogalusa endure a collective trauma that shatters their sense of safety. Fred Clasen-Kelly, NPR, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatters
Verb
  • Jake and Vince have an unbreakable bond that destroys everyone and everything, but as Law points out, their issues are rooted in their early family life.
    Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • This final betrayal will be his undoing, as the enraged creature, doomed to live without connection, care, or love, finally snaps and destroys everything Victor holds dear.
    Thomas Page McBee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The trend isn’t one-sided either, as clips have surfaced of brides being the ones to start the frosting fight, like in this TikTok video where a bride smashes a piece of cake on her groom’s face.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The designs for the towers’ mosaic tiles, which Gaudí constructed by hand from ceramic shards, are workshopped and finalized using 3-D-design software called Rhinoceros.
    D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Kafka’s life and work are fragmented, so the film had to be fragmented too—piecing together shards of his fiction, his letters, and his lived experience.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The score surges and splinters, and the world is askew.
    Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The brittle, eco-friendly bamboo straw is another concession to the community, as are the splinters.
    Joe Joyce, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Deadly flooding devastates South Asia Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the country’s north.
    Semafor Staff, semafor.com, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Illness devastates the novel’s humble, endearing protagonist, who bravely crosses class boundaries in her enthralling search for peace.
    Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The weather services said 60 mile-per-hour wind gusts are expected as a thunderstorm capable of damaging roofs, siding and trees blows through southeastern Davidson County, northwestern Rutherford County and northeastern Williamson County.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The technology blows my mind, considering SpaceX's direct-to-cell Starlink satellites are over 200 miles away, orbiting the giant mass of Earth, but still able to capture a tiny radio signal from my phone, through clouds.
    Senior Reporter, PC Magazine, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The token slivers of human-interest drama (a divorce battle, a visit to the pediatrician) that are meant to counterpoint the possibility of Armageddon with the oh-so-ironic triviality of quotidian concerns.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
  • The suit sharpens political and regulatory scrutiny of Apple’s AI design choices, may pry open slivers of discovery that inform the DOJ’s case, and could even spur Apple to codify more explicit user choice.
    Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • When shoe stink ruins a perfectly good rack.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2025
  • No matter how beautiful your kitchen is, grime on your appliances immediately ruins its look.
    Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatters. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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