smash

American  

[smash] / smæʃ /

verb (used with object)

smashes, present (3rd person singular) smashed, past participle, past smashing present participle

1. to break to pieces with violence and often with a crashing sound, as by striking, letting fall, or dashing against something; shatter.

   He smashed the vase against the wall.

2. to defeat, disappoint, or disillusion utterly.

3. to hit or strike (someone or something) with force.

4. to overthrow or destroy something considered as harmful.

   They smashed the drug racket.

5. to ruin financially.

   The depression smashed him.

   Synonyms:

   bankrupt

6. Tennis, Badminton, Table Tennis. to hit (a ball or shuttlecock) overhead or overhand with a hard downward motion, causing the shot to move very swiftly and to strike the ground or table usually at a sharp angle.

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verb (used without object)

smashes, present (3rd person singular) smashed, past participle, past smashing present participle

1. to break to pieces from a violent blow or collision.

2. to dash with a shattering or crushing force or with great violence; crash (usually followed by against, into, through, etc.).

3. to become financially ruined or bankrupt (often followed byup ).

4. to flatten and compress the signatures of a book in a press before binding.

noun

smashes plural

1. the act or an instance of smashing or shattering.

   Synonyms:

   crash

2. the sound of such a smash.

3. a blow, hit, or slap.

4. a destructive collision, as between automobiles.

5. a smashed or shattered condition.

6. a process or state of collapse, ruin, or destruction.

   the total smash that another war would surely bring.

7. financial failure or ruin.

8. Informal. smash hit.

9. a drink made of brandy, or other liquor, with sugar, water, mint, and ice.

10. Tennis, Badminton, Table Tennis.

    1. an overhead or overhand stroke in which the ball or shuttlecock is hit with a hard, downward motion causing it to move very swiftly and to strike the ground or table usually at a sharp angle.

    2. a ball hit with such a stroke.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or constituting a great success.

   That composer has written many smash tunes.

smash British  

/ smæʃ /

verb

1. to break into pieces violently and usually noisily

2. to throw or crash (against) vigorously, causing shattering

   he smashed the equipment

   it smashed against the wall

3. (tr) to hit forcefully and suddenly

4. (tr) tennis squash badminton to hit (the ball) fast and powerfully, esp with an overhead stroke

5. (tr) to defeat or wreck (persons, theories, etc)

6. (tr) to make bankrupt

7. (intr) to collide violently; crash

8. to go bankrupt

9. informal to beat someone severely

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noun

1. an act, instance, or sound of smashing or the state of being smashed

2. a violent collision, esp of vehicles

3. a total failure or collapse, as of a business

4. tennis squash badminton a fast and powerful overhead stroke

5. informal

   1. something having popular success

   2. ( in combination )

      smash-hit

6. slang loose change; coins

adverb

1. with a smash

Synonym Usage

See break.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• smashable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• smashes
  plural

Participles

• smashing
  present
• smashed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• smash
  simple
• smashes
  simple
• have smashed
  perfect
• has smashed
  perfect
• am smashing
  progressive
• are smashing
  progressive
• is smashing
  progressive
• have been smashing
  perfect progressive
• has been smashing
  perfect progressive

Past

• smashed
  simple
• had smashed
  perfect
• was smashing
  progressive
• were smashing
  progressive
• had been smashing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will smash
  simple
• will have smashed
  perfect
• will be smashing
  progressive
• will have been smashing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of smash

1690–1700; perhaps blend of smack ² and mash ¹

Explanation

To smash something is to hit or throw it so hard that it breaks or is hurt. It's important to pay careful attention while you're driving so you don't smash into the car in front of you. A running child can smash into her friend and knock her down, and an angry chef can smash a plate by throwing it on the floor. In the latter example, there's the additional meaning of "break into pieces." A smash can be a car accident, but it can also be a "great big success," like a TV series that starts slow but turns out to be a smash. This "hit" meaning dates from 1920s reviews of Broadway plays.

Example Sentences

Even if Christopher Nolan‘s film adaptation of “The Odyssey” is a smash hit, Matt Damon doesn’t think we’ll see a boom in epics of a similar scale.

From Salon • Jul. 12, 2026

“It’s conserve and then open up the valves again. Learn how to hold yourself in reserve a little bit and play around with energy—rather than just smash into it.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

“Tell me what you want / What you really, really want” — it’s a smash.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026

That would smash the previous June high and comes hot on the heels of unprecedented heat in May too.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

They used rocks to smash them and spent over an hour bashing rocks and nibbling at the small chunks of nutmeat, which tasted almost sweet.

From "The River" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• bang
• belt
• blast
• burst
• collide
• crack
• crash
• crush
• demolish
• fracture
• hit
• shatter
• slam
• trash