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
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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
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Recent Examples of shattering
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
Videos online showed Knicks fans stomping on Citi Bikes, climbing street lamps, shattering windows and attacking taxi cabs.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
The burst of activity marks a shift from Swift’s more deliberate public strategy over the past 18 months, following the record-shattering Eras Tour, which remains the only concert tour in history to gross $2 billion.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 12 June 2026
The 2025 Guardians became a gold standard for overcoming adversity, a team that flipped its season upside down after enduring a 10-game skid and a morale-shattering gambling scandal.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Renowned for his defense-shattering runs, vision, and dribbling, his time at FC Barcelona was legendary.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Forty-eight days, 16 hours, 57 minutes and 12 seconds after a virus transforms humanity into a blissful symbiotic horde, one of its survivors, Carol (Rhea Seehorn), treats a rooftop as a personal driving range — the golf balls shattering a neighboring building’s windows.
—Daron James, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
None of this felt realistic, especially not Colman Domingo’s sawed-off-shotgun-wielding Ali shooting up Alamo’s club in his mentee Rue’s honor, shattering a mask of poise that had defined his character (like the whiplash of Khaleesi’s end of Game of Thrones rogue era).
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Mark Prussin, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Videos online showed Knicks fans stomping on Citi Bikes, climbing street lamps, shattering windows and attacking taxi cabs.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
The burst of activity marks a shift from Swift’s more deliberate public strategy over the past 18 months, following the record-shattering Eras Tour, which remains the only concert tour in history to gross $2 billion.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 12 June 2026
The 2025 Guardians became a gold standard for overcoming adversity, a team that flipped its season upside down after enduring a 10-game skid and a morale-shattering gambling scandal.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Over the prairie there would be lightning that evening, dropping in shattering bolts from swollen purple clouds.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Renowned for his defense-shattering runs, vision, and dribbling, his time at FC Barcelona was legendary.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026
Forty-eight days, 16 hours, 57 minutes and 12 seconds after a virus transforms humanity into a blissful symbiotic horde, one of its survivors, Carol (Rhea Seehorn), treats a rooftop as a personal driving range — the golf balls shattering a neighboring building’s windows.
—Daron James, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
None of this felt realistic, especially not Colman Domingo’s sawed-off-shotgun-wielding Ali shooting up Alamo’s club in his mentee Rue’s honor, shattering a mask of poise that had defined his character (like the whiplash of Khaleesi’s end of Game of Thrones rogue era).
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shattering
Verb
-
Rather than destroying employment, AI would improve small-business competitiveness, seeding novel job categories around AI development, oversight, and maintenance.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
11 Dec. 2025
-
This week's Thai attacks, which stem from a long-running border dispute between the two Southeast Asian nations, have also forced more than 20,000 from their homes in several communities, the Cambodian ministry said, along with destroying infrastructure, damaging temples disrupting public services.—
Morgan Winsor,
ABC News,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Her fusions are even more radical than on previous releases, smashing together club beats, Egyptian darbuka, blasts of noise, and glowering features from Armand Hammer, Moor Mother, and BbyMutha.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
9 Dec. 2025
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Another cuts to Nina smashing dishes across the kitchen floor before being comforted by Enzo.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Historically, barrels of Madeira spent months crossing tropical oceans aboard ships, and merchants realized that the heat actually improved the wine rather than ruining it.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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The antics each week involved lovable Gilligan ruining a plan to get the gang rescued, but also ogling the bombshell Ginger (Tina Louise) and getting annoyed by Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus).—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Phase one, tentatively scheduled for June 2026 to August 2027, includes demolishing several buildings, upgrading library fire alarms and readying central campus for construction.—
Gqlshare,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Dec. 2025
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The demolition proposal went before the historic preservation commission under the city’s review rules, which call for taking a closer look before demolishing older buildings that could be historic and considering alternatives or options for reuse.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
25 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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Instead, he was left with his tail between his legs and claimed that the Spurs actually dominated the series despite blowing leads in all four of their losses.—
Ryan Gaydos OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Swift was also seen at the game blowing a kiss to the camera.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.—
Claire Gallam,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Nov. 2025
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Her firm helped design boutique hotels in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina by shopping in many of the local architectural wrecking stores.—
Colleen McNally Arnett,
Southern Living,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Atlanta trailed 25-13 after one quarter before exploding for 34 points in the second, the team's highest-scoring second quarter of the season, to flip the game entirely.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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One video seemed to show an egg exploding on a pole near Wembanyama outside of the entrance to the team hotel.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shattering. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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