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
The company essentially smashes the cooler into a long, slim form low enough to slide under its Box beds while one or two people snore cozily away on top. — New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026 His acumen for promotion, particularly in international markets, helped the commercial success of box office smashes such as Saturday Night Fever and Raiders of the Lost Ark. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 The bamboo smashes into bone and the scene in my mind bursts into a million white pieces. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026 The parents can be seen in the video rushing toward their children as the car smashes through the fence. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026 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
Noun
The shapeshifting director, whose credits range from the Oscar-winning romance Call Me by Your Name to the horror remake Suspiria, had worked with the company regularly, on commercial smashes (Challengers) and misfires (After the Hunt) alike. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 Her career count on the former roster recently moved beyond 100 smashes after multiple tracks from No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto debuted last week. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 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
  • Barry Bonds wraps up his record-breaking season with his 73rd homer and shatters the slugging percentage record that Babe Ruth had owned for 81 years.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • When a severe heatwave shatters her family’s fragile routine and exposes her father’s dementia, Anna’s world is thrown into uncertainty.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 Sep. 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
  • Unlike a measurement that absorbs or destroys the photons, this method can extract information while preserving the photons themselves.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Raking or shredding those leaves destroys the next generation.
    — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • There’s seat-shaking violence in how the whale breaches the surface and slams its weight back down (the crafty sound design is by James Miller) and body horror in its claustrophobic, spongy inner chambers.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • There are currently more than 85,000 customers without power across the Northeast, including New York City and Connecticut, as an intensifying early-season nor’easter slams the region with strong wind, soaking rain and coastal flooding.
    — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Also, passenger road vehicles use safety features like steel bumpers and crumple zones to absorb impact forces during collisions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Robertson said those concerns include obstruction of pedestrian and car traffic, collisions into infrastructure, and effects on pets and children.
    — Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Chicago should provide workable loading zones, preserve first-offense warnings, and publicly report whether violations and crashes actually decline.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Police crash scrutiny The Independence Police Department has come under scrutiny in recent years because of a history of deadly traffic crashes related to police chases.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Deaton was well-prepared, brought the fire, and landed a number of blows that at times appeared to make Markey wince.
    — Jon Keller, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The two countries have been trading blows on energy infrastructure.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 12 Oct. 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 22 Oct. 2026.

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