smashes 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of smash
1
2
as in demolishes
to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive the firecracker smashed the clay pot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in destroys
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of the invading troops smashed the resistance and went on to conquer the country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

smashes

2 of 2

noun

plural of smash
1
2
as in crashes
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact the sound of the smash made all of the bystanders immediately whip their heads around

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4
5

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 smashes
Verb
That is less than half as many as the set that produced many of his signature smashes and turned him into a chart-topper. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 For now, Paramount isn’t producing the billion-dollar box office smashes that drive millions of butts into theater seats (not to mention robust sales of novelty popcorn buckets). Todd Spangler, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026 The oncoming vehicle then smashes into his SUV, the footage shows. Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Following the Oklahoma style, the team smashes Vidalia onions directly into the beef, making the patties superthin, then tops them with brown mustard, American cheese and pickles. Sam Flemming, AJC.com, 1 July 2026 Pele controls the ball in the penalty area with his thigh, flips it over the head of the defender and smashes it past a helpless Kalle Svensson. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 Moving fusion energy closer to reality Fusion smashes light atomic nuclei together to release energy, mirroring the process that powers the sun. Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 23 June 2026 Here in Fort America, the walls creak, then something smashes onto the roof. Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 The Three Lions retake the lead 2-1 in the 43rd minute after Harry Kane smashes a header from Declan Rice in the net off a set piece. Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 June 2026
Noun
The superstar has placed 32 tracks on the ranking throughout her solo career, which means that just under a third of all of her smashes have climbed into the highest tier. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Cinemas are on course for their best financial year since before the coronavirus pandemic, powered by large-scale hits such as The Odyssey and surprise small-budget smashes, particularly Obsession and Backrooms. David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026 The track — with its croaking guitar, cymbal smashes, and stuttering vocals — sounds nothing like Brat’s gleaming, clubby gems (or the bouncy pop-punk of her 2014 LP Sucker, for that matter). Caryn Ganz, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smashes
Verb
  • But before any collective exhale can commence, the mood shatters.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Inadvertently, our entry shatters the glass ceiling, since Georgia and I are the only girls there.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • An $8,000 Ryvid Anthem or a $10,000 Maeving RM1S will deliver broadly similar urban usability, while the $12,500 Zero FXE absolutely demolishes it on power-per-dollar.
    Utkarsh Sood June 12, New Atlas, 12 June 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • T cells, a type of immune cell that detects and destroys infected or abnormal cells, normally perform this inspection.
    William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The white dwarf emits radiation and produces a giant gas bubble—the lion’s face—that destroys dust in its path.
    Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In one of the most memorable panels in superherocomic history, Bane, having beaten Batman down in his own Batcave, lifts the hero over his head and slams him down over his knee, breaking his back.
    Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Robin Williams' daughter slams AI videos of her father, urges fans to 'stop doing this'Need a news break?
    Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Katz described the operation as a deliberate effort to manufacture collisions and submit fraudulent claims.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The severe injuries were the kind doctors encounter in patients after high-speed collisions or other violent accidents that cause the brain to twist and slam inside one’s skull.
    Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Speeding has been a major contributing factor in Long Beach’s recent rash of fatal crashes.
    Jacob Sisneros, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • There were fast cars, spectacular crashes, arguments, romance and enough engine noise to make your living room windows nervous.
    Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The impact of yesterday’s sharp drop in South Korean equities transmitted further into US markets overnight, spreading selling sentiment and dealing heavy blows to US semiconductor and memory stocks.
    , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Guevera also reportedly came to blows with Eddie Kingston in 2022, leading to Kingston’s suspension.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The entire gymnasium roared with claps and cheers, the loudest and most fervent applause of the evening.
    Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The Golf Channel would always be playing in the background; the soft claps were the soundtrack to our slow Saturdays.
    Ivy Odom, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Smashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smashes. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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