as in striking
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Dissimilar Words
as in hammering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in shattering
to cause to break with violence and much noise
the drunken guest deliberately smashed a glass against the brick fireplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in demolishing
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 destroying
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
as in bumping
to come into usually forceful contact with something
we nearly smashed into each other on the skating rink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of smashing
Ian Stokes, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2026
That comeback was a smashing success.
—Matthew Futterman, Twin Cities, 17 Feb. 2026
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
As racket smashes go, there isn’t much smashing of the racket here.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
In Idaho, enforcement ticked up and ICE agents changed their tactics, including smashing car windows.
—Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smashing
Adjective
The bug-crushing, bot-smashing, democracy-delivering co-op shooter Helldivers 2 celebrated its 2nd birthday back in February, and now developers Arrowhead Game Studios have revealed the stats on our efforts to deliver freedom across the galaxy over the past 365 days.
—Ian Stokes, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2026
That comeback was a smashing success.
—Matthew Futterman, Twin Cities, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
The start of its third act wobbles a bit, but the filmmakers provide a smashing ending that holds hope there will be more adventures to follow.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
As racket smashes go, there isn’t much smashing of the racket here.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
Researchers create antiprotons by smashing regular protons at close to the speed of light against a block made of a metal called iridium.
—Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
In Idaho, enforcement ticked up and ICE agents changed their tactics, including smashing car windows.
—Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smashing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smashing
Adjective
-
Ditching her signature light brown, mid-length hair, Hadid debuted a striking blonde pixie cut.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The companies are actively seeking to replace striking crew.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ronnie Moyers heard the bird hammering in the woods one morning in late February, several weeks before the species usually shows up in Virginia’s western highlands.—
Sarah Kaplan,
Washington Post,
23 Mar. 2026
-
But the midfielder may get the chance to assist his team’s daunting assignment in overhauling their first-leg 6-1 hammering by Bayern in Munich.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Martha had a confidence-shattering experience with her previous boyfriend.—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Atlanta Police Department During the incident, a stray bullet struck an Atlanta Public Schools bus, shattering one of its windows.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the grumblings about demolishing the library building have lately become a roaring debate.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Israel’s defense minister said the military would accelerate demolishing homes along the southern Lebanese border and destroy all bridges over the Litani River.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Pentagon has generally lumped it into the first objective of destroying Iran’s missile capability.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But there may be an answer, or at least a compromise that will satisfy those unhappy with the idea of destroying a usable building.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Then Buttered Popcorn dethroned it in 1998, bumping the cherry classic from its perch.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The coaching staff and team members all jumped around on the sideline in celebration, with players chest bumping Mullins, and coach Dan Hurley had an interaction with a referee that went viral and brought backlash.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Heat is now an impressive 12-4 on the second night of back-to-backs this season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
There’s also an impressive range of side dishes made with seasonal vegetables.—
CNT Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His preferred genre was hardstyle—frantic thumping remixes of pop songs by the likes of Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.—
Sam Kriss,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Through this lens, Slater’s downfall at DOJ is less an ideological thumping than a mundane drama of personality and personnel fights.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smashing. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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