Synonyms for

Shatter

Verb / ˈʃætɜ: / Another word for shatter — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

To break or smash into many pieces.

Synonyms & similar words

break smash crush demolish destroy wreck ruin fragment splinter snap crack burst disintegrate explode pulverize powder beat pound thrash strike

Synonyms by register

Formal

demolish destroy fragment pulverize

Informal

smash bust wreck splinter

Literary

shiver splinter shatter

Antonyms

unite join mend repair assemble construct build restore

Common collocations

  • shatter glass
  • shatter dreams
  • shatter expectations
  • shatter records
  • shatter a world record
  • shatter into pieces
  • shatter the silence

Word family

noun shatter
verb shatter
adjective shattered

Usage note

Often used to describe the breaking of brittle objects, but can also be used metaphorically for abstract concepts like dreams or hopes. 'Shattered' as an adjective describes a state of being broken or devastated.

Example sentences

  1. The storm caused the windows to shatter.
  2. I accidentally dropped my phone and it shattered on the ground.
  3. The baseball shattered the glass window.
  4. The explosion shattered the silence of the night.
  5. The earthquake shook the building and caused it to shatter into pieces.

Quotes

  • She was like a bird, her body small and fragile and easily shattered. - Haruki Murakami
  • What breaks in daybreak? Is it the night? Is it the sun, cracked in two by the horizon like an egg, spilling out light? - Margaret Atwood
  • The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. - Ernest Hemingway

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