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
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 Max freaks out upon seeing the video — and after finding a dog collar in the envelope — smashes the TV with a fireplace poker. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026 Then the climax subsides for a lovely coda of strings, accompanied by a denouement in which the now casually clad, contemporary-looking singer smashes up her play set in the apartment where she’s presumably been brooding over all this stuff. Chris Willman, Variety, 22 May 2026 Kyle Busch smashes a guitar in victory lane! Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Noun
Throughout her decades-long career, Bonnie Tyler recorded pop, country and soft rock music and scored hits with each style, but she is remembered primarily for her decade-defining rock smashes. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smashes
Verb
  • Continue reading … PITCH REPORT — Cristiano Ronaldo shatters 2 all-time records to help Portugal beat Croatia at World Cup.
    , FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • But now a new ultralight player shatters the silence with an impressive solo tent that not only drops in right around 2 lb (907 oz) but does it at half the price of some of the competition.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 June 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
  • Ground-level testing often gets distorted by background emissions from surrounding soil and vegetation, while flying delicate sensors directly into corrosive plumes rapidly destroys the equipment.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
  • Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a crass and charismatic oil executive who’s called upon to help save the world after his company nearly destroys it.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • This is happening as a demographic shift to an older, grayer population slams Colorado.
    Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 5 July 2026
  • Taylor Sheridan slams critics Sheridan's series are all hits with regular people, but he's routinely been a target for critics.
    David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • The collective radiation from these hydrogen atom collisions, in the form of light, heat, gamma rays and x-rays, slowly makes its way to the outer layer of a star.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 19 July 2026
  • Placing the heavy shielding and reactor components in the middle minimizes the physical stress caused by bending moments at sea and insulates the nuclear systems from external side-impact collisions.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • The airport saw several fatal plane crashes in the early 2000s.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • Law enforcement officers also would be required to record those label details after crashes involving the vehicles, a change supporters say would produce more accurate crash data.
    Madison Smalstig July 18, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • In a little corner of my mind, however, history will always mean the tragic smashing of individual lives by its cruel hands and the scattering of bewildered people reeling from its blows.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
  • One way to look at the Washington Nationals’ kick-in-the-groin sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees — three leads in the eighth inning, three dizzying losses — is that none of the previous blows this team has taken have permanently felled it.
    Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Noun
  • One of the moments in the musical that caused the most laughter and claps from the audience was the final song, which mocks the idea of using violence as a form of protest rather than joining a movement or focusing on policy.
    Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026
  • There were the polite claps after good attacks by the Swiss, sarcastic whistles by the Qatari fans after their team again failed to mount a threat.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Smashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smashes. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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