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
Relevance
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
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 8 May 2025
Israel imposed the blockade March 2, then shattered a two-month ceasefire by resuming military operations in the territory March 18.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 8 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
In a small Hungarian town, the life of Tamás and Éva’s family shatters when their 17-year-old son attacks his teacher with a knife.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 8 May 2025
Israel imposed the blockade March 2, then shattered a two-month ceasefire by resuming military operations in the territory March 18.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 8 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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During a Freshman All-American season at Sac State in 2023, Smith smashed 14 home runs and nine doubles to go with 45 RBIs.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
18 May 2025
Noun
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Also maybe if their marital loins produced any Wood splinters.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
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Many of them splinter and rebrand so quickly that automated moderation becomes virtually impossible.—
Antón Barba-Kay,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Sonos is very, very sorry for ruining your speaker system.—
Boone Ashworth,
Wired News,
9 May 2025
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Daniella Segura,
Sacbee.com,
9 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
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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
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Those cops do more than blow whistles and bark signals.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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