smashed; smashing; smashes
1
: to break or crush by violence
2
a
: to drive or throw violently especially with a shattering or battering effect
also
: to effect in this way
b
: to hit violently : batter
c(1)
: to hit (something, such as a tennis ball) with a hard overhand stroke
(2)
: to drive (a ball) with a forceful stroke
3
: to destroy utterly : wreck
1
: to move or become propelled with violence or crashing effect
smashed into a tree
2
: to become wrecked
3
: to go to pieces suddenly under collision or pressure
smasher
noun
: being a smash : outstanding
a smash hit
Synonyms
Examples of smash in a Sentence
Noun
The new movie is a smash.
She was a smash at the party.
His new song promises to be a smash hit.
The vase fell to the ground with a loud smash.
She hit an overhand smash that won the match.
Verb
He smashed the vase with a hammer.
The ball smashed the window.
The vase fell and smashed to pieces.
He smashed into the wall.
She smashed the ball deep into the opposite corner.
Recent Examples on the Web
EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024
Despite poor reviews, the original ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey’ became an unexpected box office smash and cultural talking point in early 2023 for a premise that saw A. A. Milne’s beloved bear turned into a feral, sledgehammer-wielding serial killer.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2024
Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, a smash hit in Aledo, is taking online orders through Sunday for Easter lunch, with pickup Sunday morning.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2024
The tracklist was revealed on the singer’s Instagram account Wednesday in anticipation of her follow-up to the smash hit Renaissance album, released in 2022 to universal acclaim.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2024
The look was doubly wowing: her tennis-court green dress was custom Loewe (unsurprising, as she's loved by the fashion world) but the beauty came was a total smash.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2024
Netflix cut ties with Spacey and produced a season of the smash hit House of Cards without him; Ridley Scott edited him out of the finished film All the Money in the World, recasting Christopher Plummer in Spacey’s role and quickly reshooting the necessary scenes.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2024
Nebraska was Springsteen’s sixth studio album and released two years before his smash Born in the U.S.A. came out in 1984.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2024
Captain Robert Peacock commented on the rampant smash and grab crimes in California.
—Christina Coleman, Fox News, 24 Mar. 2024
Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
Laham regularly performs in the Middle East, where audiences continue to surprise her by smashing stereotypes about what the community would enjoy or like.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Following the loss, the Australian Open champion smashed her racket into the ground three times and didn’t shake hands with Kalinina.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors and police, exasperated, smashed their way into her private home in Lima on Saturday.
—Simeon Tegel, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
After nearly four years, the Meridian Kessler eatery smashed its final patty.
—The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2024
But when the Dali, a ship weighing more than 100,000 tons, smashed into it, the bridge tumbled in less than a minute.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024
For decades, physicists have peered into the universe’s inner workings by smashing subatomic particles together at ever higher energies.
—Byadrian Cho, science.org, 28 Mar. 2024
Rodney revives the pivotal moment when his niece and rival off-road racer Katelyn Gillespie smashed into her uncle’s rig, knocking the alligator head askew.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2024
The series debuted in October 2023 and was an immediate smash success.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
Liquid Intrusion’s South of D.C. cream ale accompanied by a smash burger with mumbo sauce?
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024
Unbeknownst to his new girlfriend, Ellison, under a pseudonym, has written a novel that becomes a smash success.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 7 Jan. 2024
Following the smash success of 2022's Top Gun: Maverick (which McQuarrie co-wrote), the two are back together as star and director in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, Part One, the latest in their Mission: Impossible team-ups that began with 2015's Rogue Nation.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 July 2023
The Bear is one of Hulu's latest smash hits, and has already been renewed for season 3.
—Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024
It should be noted that many of Disney’s modest wins or even outright flops would be classified as smash successes for its rivals.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Jan. 2024
Veep was a smash success and starred Louis-Dreyfus as a floundering American vice president constantly mired by hilarious setbacks and scandals.
—Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
Noun
The first anti-hero smash raked in over $1 billion at the global box office and earned Phoenix the Best Actor prize at the 2020 Oscars — the same ceremony where the film competed in the Best Picture category.
—EW.com, 2 Apr. 2024
Despite poor reviews, the original ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey’ became an unexpected box office smash and cultural talking point in early 2023 for a premise that saw A. A. Milne’s beloved bear turned into a feral, sledgehammer-wielding serial killer.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2024
Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, a smash hit in Aledo, is taking online orders through Sunday for Easter lunch, with pickup Sunday morning.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2024
The tracklist was revealed on the singer’s Instagram account Wednesday in anticipation of her follow-up to the smash hit Renaissance album, released in 2022 to universal acclaim.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2024
The look was doubly wowing: her tennis-court green dress was custom Loewe (unsurprising, as she's loved by the fashion world) but the beauty came was a total smash.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 26 Mar. 2024
Netflix cut ties with Spacey and produced a season of the smash hit House of Cards without him; Ridley Scott edited him out of the finished film All the Money in the World, recasting Christopher Plummer in Spacey’s role and quickly reshooting the necessary scenes.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2024
Nebraska was Springsteen’s sixth studio album and released two years before his smash Born in the U.S.A. came out in 1984.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2024
Captain Robert Peacock commented on the rampant smash and grab crimes in California.
—Christina Coleman, Fox News, 24 Mar. 2024
Verb
Trailing by two runs in the eighth inning with the bases loaded, Ruth smashed a three-run homer over the center-field fence — his second blast of the game to match Gehrig’s two blasts.
—Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
Laham regularly performs in the Middle East, where audiences continue to surprise her by smashing stereotypes about what the community would enjoy or like.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Following the loss, the Australian Open champion smashed her racket into the ground three times and didn’t shake hands with Kalinina.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Prosecutors and police, exasperated, smashed their way into her private home in Lima on Saturday.
—Simeon Tegel, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
After nearly four years, the Meridian Kessler eatery smashed its final patty.
—The Indianapolis Star, 1 Apr. 2024
But when the Dali, a ship weighing more than 100,000 tons, smashed into it, the bridge tumbled in less than a minute.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 30 Mar. 2024
For decades, physicists have peered into the universe’s inner workings by smashing subatomic particles together at ever higher energies.
—Byadrian Cho, science.org, 28 Mar. 2024
Rodney revives the pivotal moment when his niece and rival off-road racer Katelyn Gillespie smashed into her uncle’s rig, knocking the alligator head askew.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
Adjective
This dish might have been forged on the flat-top grills of lunch counters and diners, but today’s best smash burgers are anything but old-school.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 6 Mar. 2024
The series debuted in October 2023 and was an immediate smash success.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
Liquid Intrusion’s South of D.C. cream ale accompanied by a smash burger with mumbo sauce?
—Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024
Unbeknownst to his new girlfriend, Ellison, under a pseudonym, has written a novel that becomes a smash success.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 7 Jan. 2024
Following the smash success of 2022's Top Gun: Maverick (which McQuarrie co-wrote), the two are back together as star and director in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, Part One, the latest in their Mission: Impossible team-ups that began with 2015's Rogue Nation.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 July 2023
The Bear is one of Hulu's latest smash hits, and has already been renewed for season 3.
—Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024
It should be noted that many of Disney’s modest wins or even outright flops would be classified as smash successes for its rivals.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Jan. 2024
Veep was a smash success and starred Louis-Dreyfus as a floundering American vice president constantly mired by hilarious setbacks and scandals.
—Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1764, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Adjective
1923, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing smash
Articles Related to smash
Dictionary Entries Near smash
Cite this Entry
“Smash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smash. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
smash
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a heavy blow or attack
b
: a hard overhand stroke (as in tennis)
2
: the condition of being smashed
3
a
: the action or sound of smashing
especially
: a wreck due to collision : crash
b
: complete collapse : ruin
especially
: bankruptcy
4
: a striking success : hit
the new play is a smash
More from Merriam-Webster on smash
Nglish: Translation of smash for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of smash for Arabic Speakers
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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