1
as in destroys
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 smashes
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 demolishes
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 shatters
Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Most sitcoms that cast celebrities to play themselves go the Thompson route, crafting a character that completely shatters the person’s public image.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Trump's action shatters this precedent, inviting chaos.
—Dan Irvine, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Researchers say communities like Bogalusa endure a collective trauma that shatters their sense of safety.
—Fred Clasen-Kelly, NPR, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
The shift change shatters my sleep like a robin’s egg crashing against pavement.
—Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Most sitcoms that cast celebrities to play themselves go the Thompson route, crafting a character that completely shatters the person’s public image.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Trump's action shatters this precedent, inviting chaos.
—Dan Irvine, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Researchers say communities like Bogalusa endure a collective trauma that shatters their sense of safety.
—Fred Clasen-Kelly, NPR, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatters
Verb
-
Producing traditional paper destroys trees and is resource-intensive, requiring up to 13 liters of water for every page made.—
Sandy Ong,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In those situations, the team typically takes the potentially explosive item to a remote area and destroys it, just to be safe, Putthoff said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The trend isn’t one-sided either, as clips have surfaced of brides being the ones to start the frosting fight, like in this TikTok video where a bride smashes a piece of cake on her groom’s face.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In the United Kingdom, as fans wait for something new from the global pop star, one of her earlier career smashes returns to the top 40 and becomes a bestseller again.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The designs for the towers’ mosaic tiles, which Gaudí constructed by hand from ceramic shards, are workshopped and finalized using 3-D-design software called Rhinoceros.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Kafka’s life and work are fragmented, so the film had to be fragmented too—piecing together shards of his fiction, his letters, and his lived experience.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The score surges and splinters, and the world is askew.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The brittle, eco-friendly bamboo straw is another concession to the community, as are the splinters.—
Joe Joyce,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Deadly flooding devastates South Asia Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the country’s north.—
Semafor Staff,
semafor.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Illness devastates the novel’s humble, endearing protagonist, who bravely crosses class boundaries in her enthralling search for peace.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
What happens if this group blows a few late leads early in this season?—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Paul finds out and blows his top.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The token slivers of human-interest drama (a divorce battle, a visit to the pediatrician) that are meant to counterpoint the possibility of Armageddon with the oh-so-ironic triviality of quotidian concerns.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The suit sharpens political and regulatory scrutiny of Apple’s AI design choices, may pry open slivers of discovery that inform the DOJ’s case, and could even spur Apple to codify more explicit user choice.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
When that happens, 67% of teens say their malfunctioning laptop ruins their entire day.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
11 Sep. 2025
-
One mistake often ruins an entire load, sending recyclables straight to landfills.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatters. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share