adjective
Uncommon
smashing
SMA-shihng
Smashing (adjective) means (informal, British) Excellent or wonderful. Example: “We had a smashing time at the seaside.”
adjective
1
(informal, British) Excellent or wonderful.
"We had a smashing time at the seaside."
"That's a smashing idea — let's do it."
"You did a smashing job on the decorations, and everyone loved them."
noun
1
The act of breaking something violently, or a crushing defeat.
"The riot ended in the smashing of shop windows."
How to use smashing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context, either the destruction of something, or (British slang) fantastic.
UK vs US
The "wonderful" sense is chiefly British and now sounds a bit old-fashioned.
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Word forms
- Plural
- smashings
- Comparative
- more smashing
- Superlative
- most smashing
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We had a _____ time at the seaside.
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.
Class of 1900
smashing joined the language around 1900.
See the full Class of 1900 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for smashing
hashing
dashing
washing
lashing
bashing
flashing
crashing
clashing
trashing
slashing
thrashing
splashing
See all rhymes for 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.
