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
Tessa Ia leads the series as Valeria Goldberg, a young woman in a Jewish-Mexican community who makes a mistake that shatters her world and forces her into a desperate fight to find her missing children. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025 In a small town like Harding, a crime involving local children of local families shatters the relatively placid and usually numb routines of daily life. Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025 Continue reading … HEAT HISTORY – Padres flamethrower shatters MLB record with jaw-dropping pitch in playoff battle. FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Gunfire shatters windows at The Grand The fatal shooting in August was the latest incident amid ongoing crime problems there, the lawsuit says. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 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
  • Each participant had lost central vision in one eye due to dry AMD, which destroys light-sensitive macular cells over time.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
  • An arson fire destroys the 43-year-old Globe Theatre on March 8 (the arsonist was never caught, but a firebug had set several blazes in the park that winter).
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As Richard tries to kill Carrie, Sigrid shoots him in the shoulder and Lo smashes him in the face with a piece of boating equipment.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
  • As several women listen intently, Belushi, donning a toga, rips the guitar out of Bishop's hands and smashes it into a wall.
    Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Scott Wedgewood finally came unglued and left Colorado’s chances of winning in shards on the ice.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Splinters from the shotgun and metal shards from its trigger guard were found inside Barnes’ apartment — and linked back to the shotgun used in the murders.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Farming them also drives desertification in Mongolia, where the dust blows high in June, polluting the air as far afield as America, and making workers ill.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Some games, like ones against the Bears and Panthers, this team blows golden opportunities to get into the win column.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • After cutting and trimming any splinters, place the stakes behind the trellis.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
  • There’s splinters on the floor.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Americans are used to thinking about automation as something that devastates factory towns in the heartland.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The novel is about three teenagers experiencing the joy and angst of their senior year in a New York City high school as the AIDS crisis devastates their community.
    Abdi Nazemian, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • After Paul causes a boating accident that kills a young woman, the family explodes.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The post also included a video showing aerial footage of a fast-moving boat at sea that suddenly explodes.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatters. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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