1
as in shatters
to cause to break with violence and much noise
the drunken guest deliberately smashed a glass against the brick fireplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
as in slams
to come into usually forceful contact with something
we nearly smashed into each other on the skating rink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in collisions
a forceful coming together of two things
the awful smash when his dreams got hit by reality
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
she gave the tennis ball a smash and sent it flying over the other side of the net
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in claps
a loud explosive sound
the bikes collided with a huge smash
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in hits
a person or thing that is successful
the new Broadway musical is a smash
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of smashes
Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
But even when Carr smashes a model boat to smithereens after a professional rejection or Allura imagines herself going full Lemonade on Chase’s sidepiece, their actions feel divorced from any larger context.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Helm smashes some trees and things.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
But smashes by Rihanna, Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Bieber and more modern stars have also proven that the market for bone-chilling bops is year-round, whether the lyrics are about monsters, vampires or ghosts.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
As several women listen intently, Belushi, donning a toga, rips the guitar out of Bishop's hands and smashes it into a wall.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 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
At a single, two-minute dinner, Hermann Kafka smashes a cockroach while denigrating his son’s engagement to Felice Bauer before reiterating his distaste for Franz’s writing.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
For years, Billboard has tracked the graveyard smashes, thriller nights and legal nightmares that have sunk their teeth into the KILLboard Rot 100.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2025
Both smashes have spent 276 weeks on the chart as of this frame.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In some cases, these cake smashes have even ended in disaster or divorce.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
But even when Carr smashes a model boat to smithereens after a professional rejection or Allura imagines herself going full Lemonade on Chase’s sidepiece, their actions feel divorced from any larger context.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
But even when Carr smashes a model boat to smithereens after a professional rejection or Allura imagines herself going full Lemonade on Chase’s sidepiece, their actions feel divorced from any larger context.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Helm smashes some trees and things.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
But smashes by Rihanna, Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Bieber and more modern stars have also proven that the market for bone-chilling bops is year-round, whether the lyrics are about monsters, vampires or ghosts.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
As several women listen intently, Belushi, donning a toga, rips the guitar out of Bishop's hands and smashes it into a wall.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
The ball smashes into the floodlights, and Hobbs sets off on his victory trot, in slow motion, with sparks cascading behind him like fireworks.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 18 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
At a single, two-minute dinner, Hermann Kafka smashes a cockroach while denigrating his son’s engagement to Felice Bauer before reiterating his distaste for Franz’s writing.
—Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
That wait is over now, and this film has the chance to be one of the bigger box office smashes of 2026.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
For years, Billboard has tracked the graveyard smashes, thriller nights and legal nightmares that have sunk their teeth into the KILLboard Rot 100.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2025
Both smashes have spent 276 weeks on the chart as of this frame.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In some cases, these cake smashes have even ended in disaster or divorce.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smashes
Verb
-
Continue reading … RISE UP – Catholic conference shatters attendance records as 26,000 young people flock to faith event.—
,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The drop shatters a plate from Andrew's mother's irreplaceable collection of heirloom china and prompts Andrew to fire Enzo.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
One such affliction is Tay-Sachs, a disease that disproportionately affects people of Ashkenazi descent and destroys brain and spinal nerve cells.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The movie follows a similar arc, with an additional subplot in which the creature destroys the city while under the influence of a powerful demon.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But dropping the gloves can feel like an exasperating last act born of desperation and hopelessness - a door that slams behind you, leaves you in the dark and seldom reopens.—
Aaron Davis,
Sacbee.com,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Trump slams Mamdani after primary win Mamdani’s primary victory shocked the political establishment and excited progressives.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
These would increase the likelihood of more collisions, much like in the movie ‘Gravity’.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
-
But the potential damage done by the increasing amount of collisions cannot always be repaired in a spacewalk.—
Humberto Basilio,
Scientific American,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Four people were killed over a four-day period in crashes on Arkansas highways, according to preliminary Arkansas State Police reports.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The filing cites past crashes, including a fatal 2009 FedEx MD-11 crash in Tokyo, and alleges similar design flaws or defects in Boeing’s MD-11 may have caused or contributed to the November 4 crash.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Coming out the second half the teams continued to trade blows, after the Rockets took a 32-30 lead Xaverian responded with a 15-5 run to end the quarter to take a 45-37 lead.—
Mukala Kabongo,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
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The Anteaters withstood an early jolt from Cal State Fullerton in their Big West Conference matchup, but came back with several blows of their own in an 86-64 win at Titan Gym.—
Dan Arritt,
Oc Register,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The joyous screams and claps of hundreds of high school students boomed outside the sanctuary at Murewa Centre Mission of the United Methodist Church.—
Liam Adams,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Stewart said to massive claps from the audience.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smashes. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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