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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shatter
Keith Langston, People.com, 18 May 2025
The family heard plates and glasses shatter — and then boots stomping up the stairs.
—Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
That mark didn’t last long as Willow Bay and Bob Iger soon shattered it, paying $250 million to take control of Angel City FC in 2024.
—Asli Pelit, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shatter
Verb
Sadly, the date is ruined when the restaurant’s glass floor shatters, some 40 stories above the ground.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 18 May 2025
The family heard plates and glasses shatter — and then boots stomping up the stairs.
—Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
The shift change shatters my sleep like a robin’s egg crashing against pavement.
—Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
That mark didn’t last long as Willow Bay and Bob Iger soon shattered it, paying $250 million to take control of Angel City FC in 2024.
—Asli Pelit, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
Verb
-
Acosta allowed it, and IMG destroyed them.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Later, Howard calls Matt and agrees to cut the sequence but also threatens to destroy him.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Shoplifting became a political lighting rod, and videos of thieves smashing store windows and grabbing merchandise rocketed across the news and social media as a symbol of a breakdown across cities.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The forward smashed a strike across the goalkeeper and into the top corner, before wheeling away in emotional celebration.—
Joseph O'Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The brittle, eco-friendly bamboo straw is another concession to the community, as are the splinters.—
Joe Joyce,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The syntax of reason splinters by the hour.—
Alaa Alqaisi
August 13,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Our family has been ruined by Denise's lies of promising to end a year-long affair.—
Stephanie Wenger,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An image taken on August 19 shows Israeli excavators and bulldozers demolishing buildings in Zeitoun.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In a shocking and dominant performance, Lesnar completely demolished Cena, delivering 16 German suplexes in a one-sided beatdown to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Did a Smurl sister really vomit bloody glass shards?—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
-
But there are also flashes of visual splendor, like tiny shards of some kind of exotic broken vase — fragments of what could have been.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Deadly floods in Asia have devastated crops, crippling already fragile food production.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The glossy marketing doesn't include a footnote about trust funds, family support or the ability to absorb year-over-year losses that would devastate most working families.—
Elle Wang,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Cleveland Browns blew both a golden opportunity at what would’ve been the surprise upset of Week 1 and a chance to add to the Cincinnati Bengals’ early-season misery of the past few years.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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