1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
tried to restore their shattered hopes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in to demolish
to cause to break with violence and much noise
shattered the priceless vase in one clumsy fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in splinter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shatter
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 17 May 2025
Walked outside and saw my front window had totally shattered.
—Chris Irvine, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2025
Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
The same reasoning applies to why glass shatters, ice melts, liquids mix and leaves decompose.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shatter
Verb
Bromby has led a successful career so far to say the least, but now the rising star has begun shattering records at the Cape Ann League institution.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 17 May 2025
Walked outside and saw my front window had totally shattered.
—Chris Irvine, The Washington Examiner, 17 May 2025
Noun
In the midst of that climactic battle, an earthquake hits the Pride Lands and a mountain shatters.
—Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
The same reasoning applies to why glass shatters, ice melts, liquids mix and leaves decompose.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for shatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
Verb
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An embarrassing, humbling, shocking Game 5 defeat showed that. All the same problems, the ones that destroyed Leaf team after Leaf team and ultimately ended Sheldon Keefe’s time as head coach, are emerging again at the worst possible time.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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In order to retrieve the original source code of the Entity and destroy it, Hunt has to risk life and limb and dive into icy arctic waters to a sunken Soviet submarine teetering 500 feet underwater.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
15 May 2025
Verb
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The crash came a little over a year after the Dali, a 984-foot-long cargo ship, lost power while departing Baltimore’s harbor and smashed into the Key Bridge, killing six people and destroying critical infrastructure.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Devers stepped to the plate with a tie score and smashed a 2-1 breaking ball to deep right-center over the bullpen wall, propelling the Red Sox to a 7-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
Also maybe if their marital loins produced any Wood splinters.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
-
Many of them splinter and rebrand so quickly that automated moderation becomes virtually impossible.—
Antón Barba-Kay,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
-
Thessaloniki, Greece Greece is an iconic travel destination with ancient history, ruins steeped in lore, and picture-perfect Mediterranean beaches.—
Kathleen Peddicord,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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WIth Jarren Duran on first with a one-out single in the sixth, Devers demolished Lugo’s first pitch, a 91.8 mph four-seamer.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Hartford Courant,
11 May 2025
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If anything, Gunther should absolutely demolish the beloved McAfee as a way of getting back on the right foot following a surprise submission defeat to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 40.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
Noun
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Like rocks, or shards of glass worn smooth by water over time, we’re still made of the same stuff, but visibly altered, the same but also different somehow and softer.—
Kate Matthams,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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The image accompanying the post shows a large shard of ice resting on a patch of grass in Morton, just outside Philadelphia.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Beyond the immediate dead, the refugees, destroyed agriculture, loss of economic capacity, all would utterly devastate China.—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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Independent cinema—arguably the heart of artistic risk and innovation, would be devastated.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
Those cops do more than blow whistles and bark signals.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2025
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In addition, strong winds over desert areas could result in briefly lowered visibilities to well under a mile at times in blowing dust or blowing sand.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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