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
C.j. Doon, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2026
Together with thin shallot rings, the bird fries in a coating of rice flour to achieve an airy crispness and plenty of splintered, shattering bits of batter.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Each container is made from shatter-resistant, BPA-free plastic and has an airtight lid with secure latches.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shatter
Verb
Walking across York Road, he was hit by a car, shattering his left leg in two places.
—Noun
Have protective goggles or shatter-resistant glasses (for tear gas or irritants).
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
Verb
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So, automation can be used to destroy labor or workers’ power, but it can also be used in the opposite direction.—
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Homes, businesses and synagogues were destroyed.—
Verb
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The conservative impulse — skepticism of sweeping change, respect for traditions, wariness of unintended consequences — can prevent politics from becoming a moral joyride that smashes against the guardrails and calls it courage.—
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As Hodges stood there, scared and vulnerable, the man grabbed his baton and bashed him on the head with it, rupturing his lip and smashing his skull.—
Noun
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Jeff Clanagan painted a picture of a landscape in which movie stardom is no longer protected by traditional channels, as attention splinters across platforms and audiences fragment.—
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The paper also prevents wear and tear on the wood surface and keeps small splinters from snagging delicate clothing.—
Verb
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
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This will either change your life or ruin you.—
Verb
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It is designed to mirror the East Wing addition after the previous building was demolished last year.—
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In order to do so, the city has to acquire the land and purchase the properties — valued at $22 million total — and demolish them, causing several businesses to close or relocate to make way for the project.—
Noun
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Avoid handling hot shards or surfaces.—
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Today, that can mean a stair railing sculpted from cast bronze or a chandelier made of 450 shards of selenite (both, by the way, are Henault commissions).—
Verb
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Group members want to see Bonta’s office take ownership of a review, as occurred in Hawaii after Maui’s devastating Lahaina fire.—
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The regime’s regional proxies have been devastated.—
Verb
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
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Somehow, this new sensation emitted an awareness of the magnitude in which skateboarding would warp my life, which only ratcheted up the anxiety of blowing it.—
Cite this Entry
“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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