English Reference

Phrasal verb

smash up

Irregular verb

Forms

Infinitive

smash up

Past

smashed up

Past participle

smashed up

Definition

phrasal verb. to break something into many pieces by hitting it hard or crashing it. You use this when someone destroys something violently, like a car or furniture.

phrasal verb. to cause severe damage to an object or property through violent impact or physical force. Transitive and often implies total destruction or a state of being beyond repair.

Examples

“The vandals smashed up the bus stop.”

“He lost control of the car on the icy road and smashed it up against a tree.”

“The protesters began to smash up the storefronts along the main thoroughfare before the police could intervene.”

Examples

simple

“The vandals smashed up the bus stop.”

contextual

“He lost control of the car on the icy road and smashed it up against a tree.”

complex

“The protesters began to smash up the storefronts along the main thoroughfare before the police could intervene.”

Usage

often used in the passive voice to describe the state of a damaged vehicle or room.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'break' to show intensity; 'smash up' implies a more violent, messy, or complete destruction than simply breaking something.

Pitfall

He smashed up it.

He smashed it up.

when the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

Phrasal verb

Particles

up

Separability

optional

Pattern

smash + up + object

Synonyms

wreckdestroyshatterdemolish

Antonyms

repairfixmend

Grammar

Phrasal verbs (introduction)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
Frequency
Common
Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Updated

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English Reference