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Synonyms

smash hit

American  

noun

  1. a person or thing that is overwhelmingly successful or popular.

    Both the play and the movie based on it were smash hits.


smash hit Idioms  
  1. An outstanding success, as in She was a smash hit in the role of the governess, or His first book was a smash hit but this one isn't doing well. [c. 1920]


Usage

What does smash hit mean? A smash hit is a wildly successful piece of media or entertainment, especially songs, movies and TV, and musicals. It’s broadened to refer to anything that’s very popular. How is smash hit pronounced?[ smash hit ]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The internet trend that led to A24’s smash hit “Backrooms” has given a visual language to Gen Z’s real-world anxieties.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Amazon MGM Studios’ “Masters of the Universe” came in second at the domestic box office with $29.3 million, in Mattel Studios’ first film in theaters since the 2023 smash hit “Barbie.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026

The latest iPhone 17 line, especially the Air, has been a smash hit in China.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

There is a touch of the smash hit K-pop Demon Hunters in Esther Park's The Legend of Lady Byeoksa - a tale of a cross-dressing female demon-slayer's doomed love in the Joseon era.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Despite reservations on Coin’s side that it’s too extravagant, and on Plutarch’s side that it’s too drab, the wedding is a smash hit.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

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