shatter 1 of 2

verb

ˈsha-tər How to pronounce shatter (audio)
Definition of shatternext
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1
as in to destroy
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of tried to restore their shattered hopes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to smash
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to demolish
to cause to break with violence and much noise shattered the priceless vase in one clumsy fall

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shatter

2 of 2

noun

as in splinter

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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 shatter
Verb
My heart is shattered and every day that passes my sadness only deepens. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2025 Listen to this article San Diego County has shattered construction records over the past few years for apartments. — Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
Noun
Lamps shatter, biting and choking ensues, and by the time the 28 minutes are done, mayhem — literal and emotional — spills out from every corner. — Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Sep. 2024 Just as the timer runs out, the windows on the house shatter and the oven door clangs open. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for shatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shatter
  1. destroy
  2. smash
  3. splinter
  4. ruin
  5. demolish
  6. shard
  7. devastate
  8. blow
Verb
  • Meanwhile, over 100 government offices and other structures have been forced to shut their doors, relocate or have been destroyed.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Worthy sues ex-fiancée Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy accused his ex-fiancee of theft and extortion in a lawsuit, obtained by The Athletic yesterday, which alleges that Tia Jones stole and destroyed money and personal property belonging to Worthy.
    — Chris Branch, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Kamikaze sank their first ship on Oct. 25, 1944, when a navy Zero pilot smashed into the USS St. Lo in the Philippine Sea while carrying a pair of 550-pound bombs.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Carlson was wearing a helmet and smashing the windows of the apartment, and going in and out of the house to get gas cans from his truck, the document said.
    — Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of smash
Noun
  • The design is classic and functional, and it’s made from a weather-resistant and UV-resistant material that won’t rot, splinter, chip, or peel.
    — Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Anyone who has suffered the indignity of a splinter, a blister, or a paper cut knows that small things can sometimes be hugely annoying.
    — Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of splinter
Verb
  • An attorney representing former Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker is asking a county judge to give the ex-official probation — not jail time — arguing that his conviction late last year has already damaged his reputation and ruined his career, according to a new court filing.
    — Grace Hase, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    — Simone Jasper, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • The city never demolished the building.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The city demolished the old building in 2021 and remediated the land before donating it to the current development.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of demolish
Noun
  • During my own childhood, this crucial medical device was commonly available in only two forms: rectal, which involved a patient parent and a jar of Vaseline, and oral, which could only be used once your kid could be trusted not to bite down too hard and ingest glass shards and mercury.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2025
  • For safety, clean up the shards now but spare yourself the emotional fallout.
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of shard
Verb
  • On March 6, Sadia Raja was devastated to learn from a neighbor that her pet of 3 1/2 years, Carrot, was killed by a speeding car near her home in the Italian Villages section of Coral Gables, a historic neighborhood near Coral Gables Senior High inspired by Italian farm houses.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The deadly storm devastated parts of Western North Carolina with storm damage and catastrophic flooding.
    — Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • What used to build brands now risks blowing them up.
    — Remy Blumenfeld, HollywoodReporter, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Miles Caton blew me away and Michael B. jordan is incredible.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of blow

Browse Nearby Words

sharp-witted
shatter
shattered
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Cite this Entry

“Shatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shatter. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

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