WordGarden.iosmash
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /smˈæʃ/
US
- /ˈsmæʃ/
Meanings
Verb
to hit or break something with violent force so it shatters or is badly damaged
(slang)to have sex with someone, used in slang
Noun
a collision or serious vehicle accident
a song, film, show, or similar release that is hugely successful
a hard attacking shot in sports such as badminton, tennis, or volleyball
Beyond the definition
To smash something is to break it with a lot of force - picture a child breaking open a piggy bank to get the coins inside. It is stronger than just "break" and often suggests sudden, noisy damage. A person might smash a glass by dropping it, a car might smash into a wall, or a baseball player might smash a home run. People also use it in a figurative way: if someone says a singer or actor "smashed it," they mean the person did extremely well. The idea is force, impact, or very strong success.
The word "smash" usually means to break something with a lot of force or to hit something very hard. It often suggests a sudden, strong impact. For example, a plate can smash on the floor, a person can smash a window, or heavy waves can smash against the rocks.
It is also often used for collisions. A car may smash into a tree, or two players may smash into each other during a game. In these cases, the word focuses on the force of the hit, not only on damage.
In figurative use, smash can mean to do something extremely well or to defeat something completely. Someone can smash a test, smash their goals, or smash a record. In informal English, "You smashed it" means "You did a great job."
As a noun, "a smash" can mean a hard blow or crash, and it can also mean a big success. That is why people say a song, film, or show was "a smash" or "a smash hit."
So whether the word is about breaking glass, crashing into something, beating a record, or doing very well, smash carries the feeling of strong force or striking success.
Examples
- 1
Phone damage
I dropped my phone and smashed the screen.
- 2
Road accident
The car skidded on the wet road and smashed into a fence.
- Patternsmash into + object
hit it very hard
- 3
Emergency rescue
Firefighters had to smash through the front door to reach the child inside.
- Patternsmash through + barrier
break it to get past it
- 4
Sports action
She smashed the ball over the net for the winning point.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Anger
He was so angry that he smashed his glass against the wall.
- 6
Record breaking
The singer’s new album smashed the platform’s one-day streaming record.
- Phrasesmash a record
do much better than the previous best result
- 7
Entertainment success
The film was a smash hit in the summer.
- Phrasea smash hit
something that is extremely successful
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- smashnounverbadverb
Forms
- smashedpast tenseverbnounadverb
- smashing-ing formverbnounadverb
- smashespluralnounverbadverb