Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Broken violently into many pieces: Refers to an object that has been smashed or fragmented, often with force.
   • Extremely upset, exhausted, or shocked: Describes a person's emotional or physical state as completely devastated, drained, or overwhelmed.
   • Completely destroyed or ruined: Describes something abstract, like a plan, hope, or dream, that has been utterly devastated or made impossible.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The shattered glass covered the floor after the window was broken. (Describing broken pieces.)
  • She felt completely shattered after hearing the tragic news. (Describing an emotional state.)
  • The explosion left the building shattered and unsafe. (Describing a ruined structure.)
  • The failure of the project meant their shattered dreams of a quick success. (Describing ruined hopes.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be shattered by something": to be deeply emotionally devastated by a specific event or piece of information.
  • The community was shattered by the sudden loss.
• "shattered nerves": a state of extreme anxiety or stress.
  • The constant pressure left him with shattered nerves.
• "shattered illusion": a firmly held belief or pleasant misconception that has been completely destroyed.
  • Discovering the truth was a shattered illusion for her.

Variants and Related Words

• Shatter (verb): To break suddenly and violently into pieces; to utterly destroy or damage something.
  • The vase will shatter if you drop it.
  • The bad news shattered their confidence.
• Shattering (adjective): Having a powerful and destructive emotional effect.
  • It was a shattering experience for everyone involved.

Synonyms

• Broken: Separated into pieces.
• Devastated: Completely destroyed or overwhelmed.
• Exhausted: Drained of energy.
• Crushed: Pressed so as to break or destroy; emotionally defeated.
• Fragmented: Broken into fragments.

Related Phrases

• Shatterproof: Designed to resist shattering.
  • The windows are made of shatterproof glass.
• World-shattering: Of immense importance or impact, as if it breaks one's understanding of the world.
  • The scientist made a world-shattering discovery.

Related Idioms

• Shattered to pieces: Completely broken, either physically or emotionally.
  • The old plate fell and was shattered to pieces.
  • His heart was shattered to pieces when she left.

Adjective

1. ruined or disrupted
   • our shattered dreams of peace and prosperity
   • a tattered remnant of its former strength
   • my torn and tattered past