shatter 1 of 3

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

shatter

2 of 3

noun

shattering

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of shatter
1
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of tried to restore their shattered hopes

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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

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
Brian promised this magnum opus would top his ultimate rivals, the Beatles; he was shattered when the Fabs beat him into stores with Sgt. Pepper. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2025 The leading hemispheres of these two moons were darker and redder than their trailing hemispheres, shattering previous assumptions. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2025
Noun
The family heard plates and glasses shatter — and then boots stomping up the stairs. Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025 Here’s what to do when faced with the shatter heard around the world. Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
Noun
  • Check out Brecher's website for a breakdown of the filters and other peripherals used to capture and edit the cosmic splinter portrait.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 5 June 2025
  • Lee, a 40-year-old legislator, previously served as the PPP’s youngest party leader before being ousted by Yoon’s faction and subsequently founding his own splinter party.
    Jong Eun Lee, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • On Sunday, June 8, a cracked glass panel installed above the pool deck of Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas gave way, raining down shards on the lounge chairs of the deck below.
    Moná Thomas, People.com, 11 June 2025
  • Tiny shards of red, black and purple glass littered the pavement.
    CBS News, CBS News, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made by fermenting vegetables (usually napa cabbage and radishes) with a mix of seasonings, such as garlic, ginger, red chili flakes, fish sauce, gochugaru, and sometimes sugar.
    Lauren Manaker MS, Health, 11 June 2025
  • Makers will then heat the whey and add acid, which causes flakes to form on the surface.
    Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • That is just a sliver of the fun to be had in Boston’s Seaport District.
    Jeanne O'Brien Coffey, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • This is just a sliver of the growth that happens in that kitchen as kids progress through the program.
    Staff Author, Southern Living, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • The females’ eggs, fertilized by the males’ shivers, will hatch over the next few months.
    Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 5 Feb. 2025
  • Merely the thought of any potential Chinese aggression in Taiwan sends shivers down the spines of industry, market, and government officials, and an outright attack would put the worldwide economy in a tailspin.
    Karl Freund, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The logic was sound: own the infrastructure, capture margin, and secure Western chip sovereignty, but execution has been, at best, uneven.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • After the last earnings report, which Sean will detail below, Wall Street woke up to the fact that there's no AI without connections between the chips and the hardware, the servers and the electrical equipment, the architecture and the energy.
    Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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