smash

noun

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\ ˈsmash

Definition of smash

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : a smashing blow or attack

b : a hard overhand stroke (as in tennis or badminton)

2a : the action or sound of smashing especially : a wreck due to collision : crash

b : utter collapse : ruin

3 : a striking success

smash

verb

smashed; smashing; smashes

Definition of smash (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to break or crush by violence

2a : to drive or throw violently especially with a shattering or battering effect also : to effect in this way

b : to hit violently : batter

c(1) : to hit (something, such as a tennis ball) with a hard overhand stroke

(2) : to drive (a ball) with a forceful stroke

3 : to destroy utterly : wreck

intransitive verb

1 : to move or become propelled with violence or crashing effect smashed into a tree

2 : to become wrecked

3 : to go to pieces suddenly under collision or pressure

smash

adjective

Definition of smash (Entry 3 of 3)

: being a smash : outstanding a smash hit

Other Words from smash Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about smash

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Examples of smash in a Sentence

Noun The new movie is a smash. She was a smash at the party. His new song promises to be a smash hit. The vase fell to the ground with a loud smash. She hit an overhand smash that won the match. Verb He smashed the vase with a hammer. The ball smashed the window. The vase fell and smashed to pieces. He smashed into the wall. She smashed the ball deep into the opposite corner.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun What started out as a 2013 Vassar College workshop production evolved into a 2015 smash hit at the Public Theater and quickly leaped to Broadway. — David Sims, The Atlantic, "The Surreal Experience of Watching Hamilton in 2020," 3 July 2020 Apple TV+ is still in its infancy, but has had no smash hits yet. — Mark Gurman, Bloomberg.com, "Apple Cancels Some Arcade Games in Strategy Shift To Keep Subscribers," 1 July 2020 The critical response was lukewarm, but the movie was a box-office smash and now often shows up on lists of the best American comedies. — Peter Keepnews, BostonGlobe.com, "Carl Reiner, multifaceted master of comedy, is dead at 98," 30 June 2020 Originally scheduled for release March 27, Niki Caro’s live-action update on the 1998 Disney animated smash about a young woman on a hero’s journey featuring Chinese-American star Liu Yifei was rescheduled to July 24 when the virus began spreading. — Steven Zeitchik, Washington Post, "Disney shifts ‘Mulan’ as Hollywood throws in the towel on July," 26 June 2020 Cities imposed curfews as several protests last week were marred by spasms of arson, assaults and smash-and-grab raids on businesses. — Allie Morris, Dallas News, "Thousands mourn George Floyd in Texas amid calls for reform," 9 June 2020 The original Broadway cast, led by Lin-Manuel Miranda, stars in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning smash. — oregonlive, "Summer TV 2020: Your guide to premiere dates for network, cable and streaming shows," 13 June 2020 Barrier brought a more smash-mouth brand of football on the offensive side of the ball with a focus on running the ball between the tackles. — Rob Tate, Houston Chronicle, "Ned Barrier leaving Caney Creek after one season," 11 June 2020 Some major store chains took it slow: Macy’s declined to give a date for starting curbside pickup at its flagship store, where smash-and-grab thieves hit amid last week’s protests over George Floyd’s death. — USA TODAY, "Big Apple back in business, churches reopen, vaccine poll: News from around our 50 states," 9 June 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Black People Will Swim is an organization working to smash the stereotype that Black people don’t swim. — Essence, "The Build Your Legacy Contest Winners Have Been Announced!," 4 July 2020 Carefully flip the patties; smash by pressing down with a spatula to flatten and spread the onions on the griddle. — Casey Barber, Better Homes & Gardens, "Road Trip Eats: Recipes Inspired By Route 66," 26 June 2020 Bigmouths are famous for their surface feeding, and river smallmouths will smash a prop lure with just as much crushing power. — Gerald Almy, Field & Stream, "The 7 Best Lures for Smallmouth Bass in Rivers," 18 June 2020 Down the sidewalk, a white woman in a tank top and cutoff jeans used a fire extinguisher to smash the window of a barbershop. — Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, "The Heart of the Uprising in Minneapolis," 15 June 2020 Players smash their enemies in a richly detailed world called Aperion. — Jess Grey, Wired, "Here's Every PS5 Game Sony Just Announced," 11 June 2020 Some of the mostly peaceful demonstrations that erupted after Mr. Floyd's death were marked by bursts of arson, assaults, vandalism, and smash-and-grab raids on businesses, with more than 10,000 people arrested nationwide. — The Christian Science Monitor, "Houston mourns the man, the symbol: 'Say his name, George Floyd'," 10 June 2020 Surveillance footage shows one looter wielding a hammer, while another was using a baseball bat to smash through the store’s glass doors. — Greg Norman | Fox News, Fox News, "NYPD releases surveillance video of Macy's looting suspects," 10 June 2020 Fresh off a stint on Fox’s hit TV competition series Lego Masters, Dansby is using her surging platform as a passionate technologist to smash stereotypes and encourage young women to build their dreams through STEM education. — Helen Bond, Dallas News, "‘Lego Masters’ star and Dallas software engineer Amie Dansby aims to smash STEM stereotypes," 5 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smash.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.