smashing

13 synonyms and 1 antonym for smashing, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — (informal, British) Excellent or wonderful.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

fantastic brilliant great

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

dandy terrific cracking superb marvelous bully keen

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

groovy corking shattering

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

(informal, British) Excellent or wonderful.

“We had a smashing time at the seaside.”

dandy fantastic terrific brilliant cracking superb marvelous groovy corking great bully keen

Opposites

bad

2. noun

The act of breaking something violently, or a crushing defeat.

“The riot ended in the smashing of shop windows.”

shattering

Etymology

From smash plus -ing. The "wonderful" sense arose in early-20th-century American English, likely linked to the phrase "smash hit" rather than to any Gaelic phrase, despite a popular but unsupported folk theory.

Full origin of smashing →

Frequently asked questions

What does “smashing” mean?

The word “smashing” means (informal, British) Excellent or wonderful. In plain terms, depending on context, either the destruction of something, or (British slang) fantastic.

How do you pronounce “smashing”?

“Smashing” is pronounced SMA-shihng (/ˈsmæʃɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “smashing” in a sentence?

Here is “smashing” used in a sentence: “We had a smashing time at the seaside.”

What part of speech is “smashing”?

Depending on how it is used, “smashing” can be an adjective and a noun.

Where does the word “smashing” come from?

The word “smashing” dates back to around 1900. From smash plus -ing. The "wonderful" sense arose in early-20th-century American English, likely linked to the phrase "smash hit" rather than to any Gaelic phrase, despite a popular but unsupported folk theory.

Is “smashing” a common word?

“Smashing” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “smashing” have?

“Smashing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (informal, British) Excellent or wonderful.

What does smashing mean in British English?

In informal British English, smashing means excellent or wonderful, as in "we had a smashing time."

Is smashing used the same way in American English?

No, smashing as a compliment meaning excellent is distinctly British and informal; American English favors words like "awesome" or "great" instead.

What is the difference between the adjective and noun uses of smashing?

As an adjective, smashing means excellent or wonderful, while as a noun it refers to the act of breaking something violently or to a crushing defeat.

People also searched

great bad fantastic brilliant keen superb cracking bully terrific marvelous dandy shattering

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of smashing