shatter 1 of 2

Definition of shatternext
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shatter
Verb
The sky has shattered, shards fill the alleys. Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 Luke Littler, the 19-year-old darts player from England, has shaken the foundation of his sport, shattering records and exploding to global fame. Time, 9 June 2026
Noun
Though the Big Sky Conference Tournament is officially listed as a neutral-site game, Sac State finished 0-17 away from Hornet Pavilion, Sac State’s new on-campus venue that helped the school shatter attendance records. Joe Davidson march 7, Sacbee.com, 8 Mar. 2026 The lid is made of shatter-resistant construction with a magnet that makes for easy opening and closing. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
Verb
  • In July 1936, anarchists set fire to the church’s crypt and broke into the architect’s workshop before destroying many of his plans and plaster models.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
  • The Russian president, who has never acknowledged that Ukraine is a legitimate country, or that Zelensky is its legitimate president, could continue to bomb Ukrainian cities, hoping to destroy the electrical grid and make the country unlivable.
    Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • One video appeared to show two people jumping onto the roof of an NYPD vehicle and smashing its windshield.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
  • Moten says his car, which was parked on the street, was smashed and left totaled.
    Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 13 June 2026
Noun
  • On director Rupert Wyatt’s Desert Warrior (2025), Mettler was the lead film editor, splinter unit director and associate producer.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 8 June 2026
  • But as the season neared the winter transfer window, the expectation was for Mainoo to leave on loan rather than continue to pick up splinters on the bench.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • Years earlier, in 2001, the undercover detective involved claimed her career had been ruined by the case, and received around $166,000 in an out-of-court settlement, per the BBC.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
  • Think about it the next time a presidential rant ruins your coffee.
    Steven Andreasen, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • After considerable debate, the city demolished the building in March 2026.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
  • The committee’s meetings were sometimes contentious, with one of the toughest debates being whether the nightclub would be demolished or preserved in part.
    Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Once ground was completely covered with shards of tableware, folks journeyed from their seats into the center of the room for more dancing and merrymaking.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
  • It's made up of exoskeletons of tiny marine animals and contains sharp shards that penetrate ants' bodies and dispatch them.
    Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • While several of these positions are vacant to avoid layoffs, representatives said the reductions would nevertheless devastate public safety efforts.
    Reeti Malhotra June 11, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
  • The screwworm could devastate the nation’s cattle industry.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • In the Bay Area, fire and police departments in San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco have blown past their overtime budgets by tens of millions of dollars in recent years.
    Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
  • Each basket drew a huge applause from the championship-hungry Garden crowd, including his slam in the final minutes of the first half after blowing by unanimous Defensive Player of the Year Victory Wembanyama.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

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