shatter
gb/ʃˈætɚ/ us/ʃˈætɚ/
B2
English
~ 7900
összetörik, szilánkokra törik, összetör, lerombol, szétzúz, lesújt, hulla fáradt, kimerült, shatter, shatter koncentrátum
VERB
B2
1
Usage pattern:
to shatter [something] into [pieces]
The vase slipped from her hands and shattered into a thousand pieces on the floor.
A váza kicsúszott a kezéből, és ezer darabra tört a padlón.
The explosion shattered every window on the street.
A robbanás betörte az utca összes ablakát.
The phone hit the pavement and its screen shattered instantly.
Ice cubes clinked together and one shattered against the side of the glass.
The bullet shattered the windshield but missed the driver.
Learner examples
The glass fell and shattered on the kitchen floor.
A pohár leesett, és összetört a konyha padlóján.
A stone hit the window and shattered it.
Egy kő eltalálta az ablakot, és betörte.
He dropped the plate, and it shattered into small pieces.
The mirror shattered when it hit the ground.
The bottle shattered when it hit the wall.
Common mistake:
Learners often use only "break" when describing glass or ceramic objects. "Shatter" is better when something breaks into many small pieces, usually with force and a sharp sound. Also, learners sometimes say "shatter into many pieces" and also add a number like "a thousand pieces"; usually one clear phrase ("into pieces" or "into a thousand pieces") is enough.
Meaning
break into many small pieces
Collocations
shatter the glass
|shatter a window
|shatter into pieces
|shatter into fragments
|shatter on impact
|shatter instantly
Synonyms
smash (More general and informal; does not always suggest many small sharp pieces the way "shatter" does.)
Antonyms
mend (Means to repair something that is broken, which is the opposite result of shattering it.)
Themes
daily life
|objects
|accidents
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Definition
To break something suddenly into many small pieces, usually with a loud noise.
To break something suddenly and violently into many small, often sharp pieces.
C1
2
Usage pattern:
to shatter [abstract noun]
The scandal completely shattered the public's trust in the government.
A botrány teljesen lerombolta a közvélemény kormányba vetett bizalmát.
The accident shattered his dreams of becoming a professional athlete.
A baleset szétzúzta az álmát, hogy profi sportoló legyen.
The brutal truth finally shattered her illusions about him.
Gunfire shattered the peace of the sleepy village.
The company’s sudden collapse shattered investors’ confidence in the market.
Learner examples
The bad news shattered her hopes for the future.
A rossz hír összetörte a jövővel kapcsolatos reményeit.
The war shattered the peace in the country.
A háború szétzúzta a békét az országban.
His lie shattered her trust in him.
The result of the exam shattered his confidence.
The video of the event shattered the idea that the place was safe.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "break" or "kill" with abstract nouns (e.g. *"kill his dreams"* or *"break his confidence""). "Shatter" is a strong and natural verb with words like "dreams", "confidence", "illusions", and "the peace" when the change is sudden and complete.
Meaning
completely destroy hopes or beliefs
Collocations
shatter confidence
|shatter dreams
|shatter illusions
|shatter the peace
|shatter a reputation
|shatter faith
Synonyms
destroy (Very close in meaning but more general; "shatter" suggests sudden, violent, and complete emotional or moral damage.)
Antonyms
restore (Means to bring something like confidence or peace back again, which is the opposite of shattering it.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To completely break something that is not a thing you can touch, like a dream, an idea, or a feeling of peace.
To completely destroy or severely damage something abstract, such as hopes, beliefs, confidence, peace, or an illusion.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
to shatter [someone] / be shattered by [something]
She was shattered by the sudden death of her father.
Teljesen összetörte az apja hirtelen halála.
The breakup completely shattered him, and he needed months to recover.
A szakítás teljesen összetörte, és hónapokra volt szüksége, hogy magához térjen.
The diagnosis shattered the whole family.
He looked shattered when he heard the verdict.
The community was shattered by the tragic accident.
Learner examples
She was shattered when she lost her job.
Teljesen összetört, amikor elvesztette az állását.
He felt shattered after his girlfriend left him.
Összetörtnek érezte magát, miután a barátnője elhagyta.
The news about the accident shattered the parents.
They were shattered by what they saw on the video.
The result of the trial shattered the whole town.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse this with simply being "sad" or "upset". "Shattered" is much stronger and means a very deep emotional pain or shock. Also, learners sometimes say *"shattered from the news"*; in natural English you usually say "shattered by the news".
Meaning
emotionally devastate someone
Collocations
shatter someone
|be shattered by the news
|feel shattered by
|emotionally shattered
|completely shattered
Synonyms
devastate (Very close in meaning; "devastate" is more common in news, while "shatter" can sound slightly more vivid or dramatic.)
Antonyms
comfort (Means to make someone feel less sad or upset, which is the opposite of shattering them emotionally.)
Themes
emotions
|psychology
|relationships
Definition
To hurt someone’s feelings very badly or shock them so much that they feel broken inside.
To affect someone with such strong shock, grief, or disappointment that they feel emotionally devastated.
B2
INFORMAL
4
hulla fáradt
B1
kimerült
B2
Usage pattern:
to feel / be shattered
I’m absolutely shattered after working a twelve-hour shift.
Hulla fáradt vagyok a tizenkét órás műszak után.
By the end of the race, the runners looked completely shattered.
A verseny végére a futók teljesen kimerültnek tűntek.
She felt shattered and went straight to bed.
He was emotionally shattered and needed time off.
We were all shattered after moving house in one day.
Learner examples
I am shattered after my long day at work.
Hulla fáradt vagyok a hosszú munkanapom után.
She felt shattered and did not want to go out.
Hulla fáradtnak érezte magát, és nem akart elmenni sehová.
He was shattered after the long flight.
They were shattered after the game.
We are all shattered, so let’s rest.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "shattered" only means "broken" like glass. In informal British English, especially in speech, "I’m shattered" very often means "I’m extremely tired". It is usually not used in very formal writing.
Meaning
extremely tired, exhausted
Collocations
absolutely shattered
|completely shattered
|feel shattered
|be shattered after [activity]
|emotionally shattered
Synonyms
exhausted (Standard and neutral; "shattered" is more informal and slightly stronger in feeling.)
Antonyms
energetic (Describes someone with a lot of energy, the opposite of feeling shattered.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|emotions
Definition
Feeling extremely tired and with no energy left.
Very tired or exhausted, both physically and often emotionally.
NOUN
C1
SLANG
5
shatter
C2
Usage pattern:
to use / smoke / dab shatter
He prefers shatter to regular cannabis flower because it’s more potent.
A hagyományos kannabiszvirág helyett inkább a shattert választja, mert erősebb a hatása.
Dispensaries now offer various concentrates, including shatter and live resin.
A kannabiszüzletek ma már különféle koncentrátumokat kínálnak, köztük shattert és live resint.
The police seized several grams of shatter in the raid.
Learner examples
Some people smoke shatter because it is very strong.
Vannak, akik shattert szívnak, mert nagyon erős.
The shop sells oil, shatter, and other cannabis products.
Az üzlet olajat, shattert és más kannabisztermékeket árul.
He bought shatter at a legal cannabis store.
Shatter is a hard cannabis concentrate that looks like glass.
They use a special pipe to smoke shatter.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this slang noun with the common verb "shatter". In this sense, it is usually an uncountable noun referring specifically to a type of cannabis concentrate, mostly in North American contexts.
Meaning
glass-like cannabis concentrate
Collocations
smoke shatter
|dab shatter
|shatter concentrate
|high-quality shatter
|shatter wax
Synonyms
wax (A related term for cannabis concentrates; may have a softer, wax-like texture compared with shatter’s brittle texture.)
Antonyms
flower (Slang for the dried cannabis plant itself, which contrasts with concentrated forms like shatter.)
Themes
drugs
|slang
|subculture
|health
|daily_life
Definition
A very strong form of cannabis that looks like hard glass and easily breaks into pieces, used for smoking or vaping.
A highly concentrated cannabis product with a hard, glass-like texture that breaks easily into pieces, usually smoked or vaporized.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shatter
IPA
GB/ʃˈætɚ/
US/ʃˈætɚ/
Syllables & stress
shat - ter (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (shat)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: shatter
- 3rd Person Singular: shatters
- Present Participle: shattering
- Past: shattered
Word family
Forms
shatters
verb
shattering
verb
shattered
verb
Negative and opposite forms
shatterproof
adjective
Advanced or less common
shatteringly
adverb
Expressions
be shattered
1/bˈi ʃˈætɚd/
fixed phrase
informal
feel extremely tired
To feel very, very tired.
Examples
- I’m shattered after that long meeting.
- We were all shattered by the time we got home.
be shattered by [news/event]
1/bˈi ʃˈætɚd bˈaɪ nˈuzvˈɛnt/
fixed phrase
be emotionally devastated by something
To feel very shocked or very sad because of something that happened.
Examples
- The family was shattered by the news of the accident.
- She was shattered by his sudden decision to leave.
dreams are shattered
1/dɹˈimz ˈɑɹ ʃˈætɚd/
fixed phrase
people's dreams suddenly end
Used when many people’s big hopes stop suddenly, usually because something bad happens.
Examples
- Fans watched in silence as their dreams were shattered in the final minute.
- For many workers, their dreams were shattered when the factory closed.
shatter a record
1/ʃˈætɚ ə ɹˈɛkɚd/
fixed phrase
break a record by a lot
To beat a record by a very big difference.
Examples
- The swimmer shattered the world record by nearly two seconds.
- Sales this year have shattered all previous records.
shatter illusions
1/ʃˈætɚ ɪlˈuʒənz/
fixed phrase
destroy false beliefs or ideas
To show that someone’s beliefs or ideas are not true, in a sudden and often painful way.
Examples
- The report shattered any illusions that the project was safe.
- Living abroad quickly shattered his illusions about easy success.
shatter into pieces
1/ʃˈætɚ ˈɪntu pˈisɪz/
fixed phrase
break suddenly into many pieces
To break very quickly into many small parts.
Examples
- The plate hit the floor and shattered into pieces.
- When the rock struck the window, it shattered into pieces instantly.
shatter someone's confidence
1/ʃˈætɚ sˈʌmwˌʌnz kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase
destroy someone's self-confidence
To make someone lose their confidence completely or almost completely.
Examples
- The criticism from her boss completely shattered her confidence.
- Repeated failures can shatter a young athlete’s confidence.
shatter someone's dreams
1/ʃˈætɚ sˈʌmwˌʌnz dɹˈimz/
fixed phrase
completely end someone's hopes
To completely stop someone’s big hopes or plans from coming true.
Examples
- The injury shattered his dreams of playing in the World Cup.
- The rejection letter shattered her dreams of studying abroad.
shatter the peace
1/ʃˈætɚ ðə pˈis/
fixed phrase
disturb a peaceful situation
To suddenly stop a quiet or calm situation, often with loud noise or violence.
Examples
- Gunfire shattered the peace of the small town.
- A loud argument in the hallway shattered the peace of the evening.
shatter the silence
1/ʃˈætɚ ðə sˈaɪləns/
fixed phrase
literary
break a period of silence
To suddenly make a loud sound in a very quiet place.
Examples
- A scream shattered the silence of the night.
- The sound of breaking glass shattered the silence in the library.