What does smashed mean?
Smashed primarily describes something that has been violently broken, crushed, or destroyed, as in “the smashed window” or “smashed to pieces.” It can also be used informally for a person who is very drunk and, in modern informal usage, for something performed exceptionally well: a team may “smash the match,” and a candidate may “smash the interview.” Although its earliest use was physical and destructive, the word now carries both comic and celebratory connotations depending on context. It is especially useful when the force of an impact or the degree of success needs emphasis. In formal writing, “destroyed,” “shattered,” or “broken down” will usually be more appropriate than the informal success or intoxication senses.
Violently broken, crushed, or destroyed; informally, very drunk or extremely successful.
"The kitchen was littered with smashed cups after the party."
The intoxication and success meanings are informal and may be hyphenated when they modify a following noun.
Past tense and past participle of “smash”: to strike or break something forcefully into pieces.
"The wave smashed against the harbor wall."
As an inflected form of “smash,” it may also mean to achieve an exceptionally successful result in an informal context.
From broken glass to overwhelming success, “smashed” has expanded far beyond the fate of an unlucky plate.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does smashed come from?
The word comes from the verb “smash,” which appeared in early 19th-century English, though its precise origin is uncertain. It was associated with a forceful blow and the sound or effect of breaking something violently. “Smashed” developed as the past tense and past participle of that verb and was later established as an adjective describing the resulting broken condition; its slang meanings for drunkenness and outstanding success arose much later.
Related word forms
How smashed is actually used
The meanings “very drunk” and “extremely successful” are informal; the latter is especially common in speech such as “She smashed the exam.” The word is sometimes hyphenated before a noun when it means very drunk, as in “a smashed reputation” for a badly damaged reputation, though “smashed reputation” is also widely understood.