smash

1 of 3

noun

1
a
: a smashing blow or attack
b
: a hard overhand stroke (as in tennis or badminton)
2
a
: the action or sound of smashing
especially : a wreck due to collision : crash
b
: utter collapse : ruin
3
: a striking success

smash

2 of 3

verb

smashed; smashing; smashes

transitive verb

1
: to break or crush by violence
2
a
: 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
smasher noun

smash

3 of 3

adjective

: being a smash : outstanding
a smash hit

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
But even with little concert experience, the show was a smash. Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 The movie became a smash hit and has had a lasting legacy as one of the most iconic romantic films ever. Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 9 Mar. 2024 In the clip, Black and Gass strut around the red carpet, doing dance moves and jump-kicking while belting along to the D’s hard rock take on the 1998 pop smash. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 The Grammy winner also touched on the track’s obvious callback to Brandy and Monica’s iconic smash of the same name, which ruled atop the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks in 1998. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2024 Barbie remains one of world's the top-selling toys—and is even more popular after director Greta Gerwig's smash hit Barbie, the 2023 film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Sari Beth Rosenberg, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 In this period, Howard’s ongoing success in Hollywood landed him the role of James Rhodes in the 2008 smash hit Iron Man. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 He was bizarrely snubbed for Payne’s Sideways, a 2004 indie smash that was otherwise showered with awards attention, and would not have remotely resonated with audiences without Giamatti’s bruised, relatable buffoonery at its center. David Sims, The Atlantic, 29 Feb. 2024 Throughout his career, he’s earned a total of 40 placements on that tally, including this latest smash. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
Some see the rise of girls’ wrestling as part of a larger arc in women’s sports: the U.S. women’s national soccer team has captured the nation’s attention and the Big Ten’s women’s basketball tournament sold out after Caitlin Clark smashed the women’s NCAA scoring record. Marc Levy, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar. 2024 The trucks get smashed up, and the stuff gets looted or ransacked off the backs of the trucks. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 The players smashed into each other, and Poa hit the floor and immediately held her head in her hands. Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 But when Daphne takes Lily to a rage room, where she’s given a baseball bat to smash and destroy things in order to vent her frustrations, Lily can’t move. Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Courtesy of Nowon These chefs are building on the distinctly American culinary tradition of burger patties smashed flat for expediency and flavor. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2024 The crisis, now into its third year, has smashed multiple records with more than 2.4 million encounters in FY 23 and over 300,000 in December alone – breaking the record for monthly encounters. Griff Jenkins, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2024 This gets its name from the manner in which store windows and glass counters are smashed, with items locked inside transparent displays often quickly grabbed, bagged and then quickly sold online. Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Neel Kashkari smashed a wind-up toy train and handed out gas cards to protest high-speed rail during his 2014 run for governor. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Unbeknownst to his new girlfriend, Ellison, under a pseudonym, has written a novel that becomes a smash success. Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 7 Jan. 2024 Following the smash success of 2022's Top Gun: Maverick (which McQuarrie co-wrote), the two are back together as star and director in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, Part One, the latest in their Mission: Impossible team-ups that began with 2015's Rogue Nation. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 July 2023 The Bear is one of Hulu's latest smash hits, and has already been renewed for season 3. Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024 It should be noted that many of Disney’s modest wins or even outright flops would be classified as smash successes for its rivals. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Jan. 2024 Veep was a smash success and starred Louis-Dreyfus as a floundering American vice president constantly mired by hilarious setbacks and scandals. Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023 Armed with little resources and facing heavy losses, the musicians must unite to make their smash debut. Caroline Brew, Variety, 30 Oct. 2023 From Depp's continued work with the prolific director, to Winona Ryder's role in the smash Netflix hit, Stranger Things, here is what the cast of Edward Scissorhands is up to today! Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023 This is a smash spot for Walker, who is going against a Cardinals run defense allowing 4.5 yards per carry, an average of 144.3 total yards and nine total TDs in six games. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps blend of smack entry 4 and mash entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1764, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of smash was in 1725

Dictionary Entries Near smash

Cite this Entry

“Smash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smash. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

smash

1 of 2 verb
1
: to break into pieces by violence : shatter
2
: to drive, throw, or move violently especially with a destructive effect
3
: to destroy completely : wreck
4
: to go to pieces suddenly : collapse
smasher noun

smash

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a heavy blow or attack
b
: a hard overhand stroke (as in tennis)
2
: the condition of being smashed
3
a
: the action or sound of smashing
especially : a wreck due to collision : crash
b
: complete collapse : ruin
especially : bankruptcy
4
: a striking success : hit
the new play is a smash

More from Merriam-Webster on smash

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