shatter

¹shat·ter

verb \ˈsha-tər\

Definition of SHATTER

transitive verb

1

: to cause to drop or be dispersed

2

a : to break at once into pieces

b : to damage badly : ruin

3

: to cause the disruption or annihilation of : demolish

intransitive verb

1

: to break apart : disintegrate

2

: to drop off parts (as leaves, petals, or fruit)

— shat·ter·ing·ly \-tə-riŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of SHATTER

1. The rock shattered the window.
2. His dreams were shattered by their rejection.
3. The end of his marriage shattered him emotionally.

Origin of SHATTER

Middle English schateren — more at scatter

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SHATTER

Synonyms

annihilate, cream, decimate, demolish, desolate, devastate, do in, extinguish, nuke, pull down, pulverize, raze, rub out, ruin, destroy, smash, tear down, total, vaporize, waste, wrack, wreck

Antonyms

build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up

Related Words

beat, best, clobber, conquer, crush, defeat, drub, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), rout, scotch, skunk, subdue, surmount, thrash, trim, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip, win (against); blast, blow up, break, cripple, damage, deface, deteriorate, disfigure, disintegrate, dissolve, dynamite, harm, impair, injure, mangle, mar, mutilate, spoil, vitiate; erode, scour, sweep (away), wash out, wear (away); dilapidate, disassemble, dismantle, gut, take down, unbuild, undo, unmake; blot out, efface, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, remove, root (out), snuff (out), stamp (out), wipe out; despoil, havoc, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack, trample, trash, vandalize; assassinate, butcher, cut down, dispatch, execute, fell, kill, kill off, massacre, mow (down), murder, slaughter, slay, take out, zap

Near Antonyms

doctor, fix, mend, patch, recondition, repair, revamp; create, invent; assemble, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, mold, produce, shape; bring about, constitute, establish, father, found, institute, organize; conserve, preserve, protect, save; rebuild, reconstruct, remodel, renovate, restore

Rhymes with SHATTER

attar, batter, blatter, chatter, clatter, flatter, hatter, latter, matter, natter, patter, plaiter, platter, ratter, scatter, smatter, spatter, splatter, tatter

²shatter

noun

Definition of SHATTER

1

: fragment, shred —usually used in plural <the broken vase lay in shatters>

2

: an act of shattering : the state of being shattered

3

: a result of shattering : shower

First Known Use of SHATTER

circa 1640

Rhymes with SHATTER

batter, chatter, clatter, flatter, matter, natter, patter, plaiter, scatter, smatter, spatter, splatter, tatter