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
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Recent Examples of shatters
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
His refusal to take the curse seriously shatters her trust, leaving her questioning their entire relationship.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Mar. 2026
Security footage provided by Elfvin shows the robot rolling directly into the side panel of a bus shelter, which shatters and showers the robot and sidewalk around it with what appears to be glass shards.
—Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
For example, people now take care to wear shoes at home in case an explosion shatters glass, or there’s a need to evacuate immediately.
—Jason Rezaian, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
At that moment, the mirror reflecting the entire contents of Frenza’s mind from the past few days shatters in a kaleidoscope of dreams.
—Agnieszka Szpila, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Mahajan simultaneously shatters and showcases Hindu nationalism.
—Sibani Ram, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Unlike more cohesive dictatorships, Iran’s youth, middle class and ethnic minorities — Persians number less than 50% in a nation with seven major ethnic groups — are primed to rise once air power shatters the mullahs’ control.
—Chuck Devore, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
The series, based on a novel by Araminta Hall, delves into a crime that shatters a long-standing friendship among the three lead characters.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
Related Stories The film shatters stereotypical visuals of space, veering away from cold and desaturated colors, and using warmer tones such as orange.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
His refusal to take the curse seriously shatters her trust, leaving her questioning their entire relationship.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Mar. 2026
Security footage provided by Elfvin shows the robot rolling directly into the side panel of a bus shelter, which shatters and showers the robot and sidewalk around it with what appears to be glass shards.
—Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
For example, people now take care to wear shoes at home in case an explosion shatters glass, or there’s a need to evacuate immediately.
—Jason Rezaian, New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2026
At that moment, the mirror reflecting the entire contents of Frenza’s mind from the past few days shatters in a kaleidoscope of dreams.
—Agnieszka Szpila, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Mahajan simultaneously shatters and showcases Hindu nationalism.
—Sibani Ram, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Unlike more cohesive dictatorships, Iran’s youth, middle class and ethnic minorities — Persians number less than 50% in a nation with seven major ethnic groups — are primed to rise once air power shatters the mullahs’ control.
—Chuck Devore, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
The series, based on a novel by Araminta Hall, delves into a crime that shatters a long-standing friendship among the three lead characters.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatters
Verb
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For those who know the play well, some of Mantello’s choices are most striking, especially the horror here of the famous hotel-room scene with a tawdry lover (brutally played by Katherine Romans), an act born of loneliness that destroys a father’s relationship with his son forever.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, affects more than 6 million Americans, most of them age 65 or older.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But Wark smashes a ball to left field for the Aggies to retake the lead, 7-5.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Delivery robot smashes into glass of bus shelter in Old Town on Tuesday afternoon.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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After sweeping up broken glass, tiny, almost-invisible shards often remain behind.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
11 Apr. 2026
-
There may be no documents in the libraries, but the trees hold bits and shards of this land’s collective memory.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But if all of America’s trading partners, or former trading partners, are heading into crisis, the crisis blows back.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Most notably, Turkey and Greece came to blows several times, usually over their still-unresolved territorial conflict over Cyprus in the Mediterranean.—
Carla Martinez Machain,
The Conversation,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In 1903, a vicious winter storm reduced most of the piers to splinters, and by 1906 offshore oil production at Summerland had all but ceased.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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Upon impact, cannonballs would have sent wooden splinters flying like debris from grenades.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Florida’s citrus industry has been in a steady decline the past 25 years because of Huanglongbing (also known as HLB and citrus greening disease), a bacterial disease that devastates citrus trees.—
Jim Turner,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
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Kyiv residents endure long daily blackouts as Russia devastates the power system, leaving tower block dwellers freezing in apartments with no heat or light.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Vann instantly explodes, then runs off into the distance, making it across the street before collapsing to the ground where a resident tried to help him with damp towels.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2026
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There’s an intimacy to it in the verses, and then there’s a big dynamic jump, an octave jump between the verse and the chorus, which just explodes into this hopeful, optimistic thing.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shatters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatters. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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