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

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Etymology

Origin of smash

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

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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

See Examples For:

smash smashes smashed smashing

Last year’s horror film “Sinners,” from “Black Panther” and “Creed” director Ryan Coogler, was a smash hit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

The agreement aimed to smash the business model of smugglers who charge migrants huge amounts to make the perilous and sometimes deadly journey.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Ella Langley's country smash Choosin' Texas has overtaken Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You to become the longest-running number one single in US chart history.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Tone Capone, the Bay Area producer whose smash hit “I Got 5 On It” for Luniz defined his region’s hip-hop sound, has died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

My words are garbled; they bang and smash into each other.

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

Take Anne Hathaway, fresh off a string of box-office smashes in “The Odyssey,” “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” “The End of Oak Street” and “Mother Mary.”

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

The sale smashes the record previously set for a residential real estate deal in the Hualālai, which previously stood at $30.2 million, according to Kildow.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

Complications commence when a space research vessel smashes into Prodigy Corp.-controlled Bangkok.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026

His near physics-defying slides along the baseline and basketball-like hangtime before smashes have cemented his status as a fan favourite.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

Through the small window, I watch the ocean roll, the rickety Oasis breaking up as it smashes against the rocks.

From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper

They wore hard hats and smashed a bridge-shaped piñata.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

In these experiments, heavy ions such as lead are accelerated to nearly the speed of light and smashed together.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

I didn’t feel any affinity with the humanoid that smashed Bolt’s 100-meter record, but found the robot weightlifter that crumpled under a 15kg barbell and staggered into a table very relatable.

From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026

Michael celebrated the ruling on X, writing: "The hammer of justice has smashed Anthropic arguments."

From Barron's ● Sep. 25, 2026

His Hazelwood pack had been smashed in the attack; he’d have to cram everything else into his jerkin, or tie it to his belt.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Bauers delivered the knockout blow in Milwaukee’s 6-2 victory on Wednesday, smashing a go-ahead, two-run home run off ace Blake Snell to give the Brewers a lead they would never relinquish.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Local media in the southern city of Korce accused students of smashing windows at a high school.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

The LHC accelerates protons to tremendous energies before smashing them together.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

Some incidents had little to do with jumping, such a surfer smashing into the rocks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Then Dudley was falling, as if someone had undercut his legs, his massive frame smashing against the porch.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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Related Words

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

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