1
as in destroying
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 smashing
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 demolishing
to cause to break with violence and much noise
shattered the priceless vase in one clumsy fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 shattering
The brand was already the most searched name on Ulta’s site before the line expanded to the retailer’s 1,500-plus doors in February, shattering sales records and becoming the chain’s largest brand launch ever.
—
Danielle Directo-Meston, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2026
Ratings from the opening match went through the roof, shattering records.
—Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Kate Ziegler breaks swimming’s oldest world record, shattering the 1,500-meter freestyle mark by 9 1/2 seconds at the TYR Meet of Champions Mission Viejo.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Video showed the vandals, including one man waving a Palestinian flag, jump onto a yellow cab, shattering the windshield.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026
Someone grabbed another person’s phone on West Hamilton Avenue and threw it on the ground, shattering it.
—Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Tennis champion Carrie Soto is the best player the world has ever seen — her ferocity and determination to win at any cost propelled her to 20 Grand Slam titles, shattering record after record.
—Kayla Olson, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
That regulatory dam-break triggered a gold rush of private clean energy projects, permanently shattering Eskom’s absolute control over supply and forcing regulators to design a modern market place to govern competition.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
People in the crowd also took bats to five NYPD vehicles and jumped on them, shattering front and back windows, officials said.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Danielle Directo-Meston, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2026
Ratings from the opening match went through the roof, shattering records.
—Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Kate Ziegler breaks swimming’s oldest world record, shattering the 1,500-meter freestyle mark by 9 1/2 seconds at the TYR Meet of Champions Mission Viejo.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Video showed the vandals, including one man waving a Palestinian flag, jump onto a yellow cab, shattering the windshield.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026
Someone grabbed another person’s phone on West Hamilton Avenue and threw it on the ground, shattering it.
—Jake Richardson, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Tennis champion Carrie Soto is the best player the world has ever seen — her ferocity and determination to win at any cost propelled her to 20 Grand Slam titles, shattering record after record.
—Kayla Olson, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
That regulatory dam-break triggered a gold rush of private clean energy projects, permanently shattering Eskom’s absolute control over supply and forcing regulators to design a modern market place to govern competition.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
People in the crowd also took bats to five NYPD vehicles and jumped on them, shattering front and back windows, officials said.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shattering
Verb
-
Strikes and artillery fire were reported across Nabatieh district, destroying homes and residential buildings, according to NNA.—
Caitlin Danaher,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
One video shows a surface to air missile hitting a drone but not destroying it; the drone crashes to the ground and explodes.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The tension in these tracks are the binding agent for Jane’s fan base — the music is full of contradictions and incompatibilities smashing together that just feel like being young right now.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Last week, a group of people swarmed Noureddine Bitat's taxi, stomping on it and smashing its windshield.—
Kelsie Hoffman,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The Cowboys are like most NFL teams that roll out a synthetic surface that has a grass feel, and is vastly superior to the old knee-ruining ways of AstroTurf.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
-
The Dodgers are ruining baseball!—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, many media observers—inside and outside the network—have gone so far as to suggest that demolishing the status quo seems to be central to Weiss’s mandate.—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
-
In February 2024, police gave him and his wife minutes to pack before demolishing their home.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
But Saeta, which has been outfitting the team since coming to its rescue after the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake, has been struggling to keep up with demands, creating an opening for designers and other vendors selling unofficial merchandise.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
-
The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The Detroit Tigers are blowing a golden opportunity.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 June 2026
-
The Sox bullpen didn’t perform any better on Sunday, blowing leads in the ninth and 10th innings of a 5-4 loss to get swept in Detroit and finish 1-5 on the road trip.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
What is in tandem here is the exuberantly generative possibility of life itself (SCOBY, water) alongside the very synthetic polymers that are literally wrecking life on an individual and systemic level.—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Belt-Stubblefield did not stop and ended up wrecking his car.—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Pai saw how the industry was exploding, how brands such as Maui and Son, Gotcha and Quiksilver were flying off the shelves, inventory gone after the weekend.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
21 June 2026
-
Another survey will prompt the telescope to observe one specific region every five days over the course of two years to learn more about objects within the cosmos that change over time, such as exploding stars.—
Eleanor Jacobs,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shattering. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
