smithereens
plural noun
smith·er·eens
ˌsmi-t͟hə-ˈrēnz
: small broken pieces : fragments, bits
the vase was in smithereens on the floor
—usually used in phrases like blow to smithereens, smash to smithereens, or blast to smithereensRoughly once a second, a star somewhere in the universe explodes. Some of these stars are blown to smithereens, strewing ashes through space.—Ron Cowen
Within less than a decade, foreign invaders with horses, gunpowder, and lethal diseases had smashed their empire to smithereens.—Niall Ferguson
He felt a plunk on the back of his neck as the snowball smashed to smithereens just above his coat collar.—Mordecai Richler
Don't tell that guy blasting rampaging zombies to smithereens in his favorite video game that he's getting lessons in efficient decision making.—Bruce Bower
Did you know?
Despite its American sound and its common use by the fiery animated cartoon character Yosemite Sam, smithereens did not originate in American slang. Although no one is entirely positive about its precise origins, scholars think that smithereens likely developed from the Irish word smidiríní, which means "little bits." That Irish word is the diminutive of smiodar, meaning "fragment." According to print evidence, the plural form smithereens first appears in English in the late 18th century; use of singular smithereen then follows.
Cite this Entry
“Smithereens.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smithereens. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
