1
as in shatters
to cause to break with violence and much noise
the drunken guest deliberately smashed a glass against the brick fireplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in demolishes
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive
the firecracker smashed the clay pot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in destroys
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
the invading troops smashed the resistance and went on to conquer the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in slams
to come into usually forceful contact with something
we nearly smashed into each other on the skating rink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in collisions
a forceful coming together of two things
the awful smash when his dreams got hit by reality
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in crashes
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact
the sound of the smash made all of the bystanders immediately whip their heads around
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
she gave the tennis ball a smash and sent it flying over the other side of the net
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in claps
a loud explosive sound
the bikes collided with a huge smash
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in hits
a person or thing that is successful
the new Broadway musical is a smash
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 smashes
Sam Flemming,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
Pele controls the ball in the penalty area with his thigh, flips it over the head of the defender and smashes it past a helpless Kalle Svensson.
—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Moving fusion energy closer to reality Fusion smashes light atomic nuclei together to release energy, mirroring the process that powers the sun.
—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Here in Fort America, the walls creak, then something smashes onto the roof.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
The Three Lions retake the lead 2-1 in the 43rd minute after Harry Kane smashes a header from Declan Rice in the net off a set piece.
—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
Max freaks out upon seeing the video — and after finding a dog collar in the envelope — smashes the TV with a fireplace poker.
—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Then the climax subsides for a lovely coda of strings, accompanied by a denouement in which the now casually clad, contemporary-looking singer smashes up her play set in the apartment where she’s presumably been brooding over all this stuff.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Kyle Busch smashes a guitar in victory lane!
—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
The Colombian superstar sold out Medellín’s Estadio Atanasio Girardot on April 25, with 47,000 fans waiting to dance to his unique mix of reggaeton hits and dancehall smashes.
—
Lucas Villa,
SPIN,
11 May 2026
Amy Allen picked up ASCAP‘s top honor in the pop field Thursday night, as the woman responsible for co-writing Sabrina Carpenter’s top hits and other smashes was awarded with the songwriter of the year trophy at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards in Hollywood.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 May 2026
His litany of urgently treacly smashes was the soundtrack of that era, both a master class in minimal form that updated the mercenary structures of the Brill Building and Frank Sinatra, and also a cool and controlled reimagining of the sensual soul music of the late ’60s through the mid-70s.
—
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Following the Oklahoma style, the team smashes Vidalia onions directly into the beef, making the patties superthin, then tops them with brown mustard, American cheese and pickles.
—
Sam Flemming,
AJC.com,
1 July 2026
Pele controls the ball in the penalty area with his thigh, flips it over the head of the defender and smashes it past a helpless Kalle Svensson.
—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Moving fusion energy closer to reality Fusion smashes light atomic nuclei together to release energy, mirroring the process that powers the sun.
—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
23 June 2026
Here in Fort America, the walls creak, then something smashes onto the roof.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
The Three Lions retake the lead 2-1 in the 43rd minute after Harry Kane smashes a header from Declan Rice in the net off a set piece.
—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
Max freaks out upon seeing the video — and after finding a dog collar in the envelope — smashes the TV with a fireplace poker.
—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Then the climax subsides for a lovely coda of strings, accompanied by a denouement in which the now casually clad, contemporary-looking singer smashes up her play set in the apartment where she’s presumably been brooding over all this stuff.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Kyle Busch smashes a guitar in victory lane!
—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Noun
Looking outside the top 10, Langley scores another two smashes.
—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
The Colombian superstar sold out Medellín’s Estadio Atanasio Girardot on April 25, with 47,000 fans waiting to dance to his unique mix of reggaeton hits and dancehall smashes.
—
Lucas Villa,
SPIN,
11 May 2026
Amy Allen picked up ASCAP‘s top honor in the pop field Thursday night, as the woman responsible for co-writing Sabrina Carpenter’s top hits and other smashes was awarded with the songwriter of the year trophy at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards in Hollywood.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 May 2026
His litany of urgently treacly smashes was the soundtrack of that era, both a master class in minimal form that updated the mercenary structures of the Brill Building and Frank Sinatra, and also a cool and controlled reimagining of the sensual soul music of the late ’60s through the mid-70s.
—
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smashes
Verb
-
But now a new ultralight player shatters the silence with an impressive solo tent that not only drops in right around 2 lb (907 oz) but does it at half the price of some of the competition.
-
When a window shatters, your entire home is at risk of collapse or even being blown away.
Verb
-
An $8,000 Ryvid Anthem or a $10,000 Maeving RM1S will deliver broadly similar urban usability, while the $12,500 Zero FXE absolutely demolishes it on power-per-dollar.
-
The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.
Verb
-
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn – amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action – gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
-
Arrrives, destroys Femi and hands Main Event Jey the crown.
Verb
-
Taylor Sheridan slams critics Sheridan's series are all hits with regular people, but he's routinely been a target for critics.
-
His hand fans out into a wave, then the door slams shut.
Noun
-
Under California’s vehicle code, hit-and-run collisions that lead to property damage but no injuries are classified as misdemeanors.
-
Heading and collisions pose a risk that warrants real caution.
Noun
-
Aim for 20–40 grams of protein at breakfast to improve fullness and blood sugar control, and choose fiber-rich carbs to avoid spikes and crashes.
-
This gives drivers more time to react and could potentially prevent up to 80% of non-impaired vehicle crashes in the US alone.
Noun
-
Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
-
Despite the blows to Eurovision’s finances and viewership from the boycott, the contest is eyeing expansion, with a spinoff Eurovision Song Contest Asia due to take place in Bangkok in November.
Noun
-
One of the moments in the musical that caused the most laughter and claps from the audience was the final song, which mocks the idea of using violence as a form of protest rather than joining a movement or focusing on policy.
-
There were the polite claps after good attacks by the Swiss, sarcastic whistles by the Qatari fans after their team again failed to mount a threat.
Cite this Entry
“Smashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smashes. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
