shatter 1 of 2

1
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

shatter

2 of 2

noun

Examples of shatter in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Hopes for a ceasefire deal and hostage release deal have been shattered repeatedly by failing negotiations. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024 Here in the steady sweet rains, cedars can persist for centuries, their tops silvered and shattered, their trunks as wide as a garage door. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024
Noun
The crackly, award-winning biscuit ($8) shatters between your teeth and smears a somewhat undignified but welcome peck of powdered sugar on your lips. Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Aug. 2024 But a tragic accident involving one of their sons accidentally falling out of a second floor window as a helpless Alice looks on shatters the perfect harmony of their lives, and the besties are suddenly torn apart as guilt, suspicion and paranoia comes between them. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for shatter 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
Verb
  • In addition to damaging Mechnikov Hospital, the attack also destroyed a two-story residential building and damaged multiple apartment buildings.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
  • One structure had been destroyed by Monday evening, the county said in an update.
    Tristan Maglunog, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • After markets closed on Wednesday, Microsoft reported its best-ever quarter in the tech company’s history, smashing expectations—making $24.7 billion net income, over $23.2 billion predicted by analysts and 11% up year-over-year.
    Megan Poinski, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
  • At that pace, the moons are predicted to either smash into their host planet in about 50 million years, or fragment into countless smaller pieces to form a Saturn-like ring.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • The border has long seemed a political millstone for Democrats, a place where the party splinters on policy and the results are out of step with broad public opinion.
    Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 28 Sep. 2024
  • Or, did your friend get a little too curious in the brush and get a splinter or stung by a bee or wasp?
    Stack Commerce, Popular Science, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • And while that was somewhat true, the film is refreshingly dotted with humor that could have ruined the seriousness of the situation at hand and instead makes these ominous, serious and devout Catholic figureheads feel like real, complicated humans, which only adds to the nuance of the film.
    Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 24 Oct. 2024
  • But not the party atmosphere of today, with some people drinking too much and some obnoxious people ruining it for the majority.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • In addition to wrecking many businesses and private homes, the flooding in Chimney Rock tore up Main Street, creating a deep and jagged gash in the asphalt and completely demolishing the walkways along the riverfront.
    Marshall Crook, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024
  • The tornado moved onto the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation, damaging some traditional chickee huts and demolishing the spectator and dugout areas at a sports complex.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Investigators searched his white Jetta but did not find any shards of glass or blood stains.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Both campaigns have targeted small, often little-appreciated shards to reach hyper-specific pockets of potential voters.
    Axios, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The storm devastated western North Carolina—almost half of deaths due to Helene were in North Carolina, and 42 were in Buncombe County where Asheville is located, according to The Associated Press.
    Chantelle Lee, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
  • During Trump’s presidency, Puerto Rico was devastated by two back-to-back hurricanes in 2017 that killed more than 3,000 people and displaced thousands.
    Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Supersonic gales blow at 1,200 miles per hour, around five times faster than the strongest gusts ever measured on Earth.
    Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
  • For nonprofits reliant on city funding, the winds of political change can blow your funding off the map.
    Tylor Taylor, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near shatter

Cite this Entry

“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on shatter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!