Word
smashing
Phoneticssmash·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsmæʃɪŋ/
UK/smˈæʃɪŋ/
Definitions
01wonderful
B2 · Upper Intermediate British English · Informal
adj. very good, wonderful, or impressive.
adj. denoting excellence or high quality; primarily used as a predicative or attributive adjective in British English.
“We had a smashing time at the party last night.”
“The critics agreed that her performance was absolutely smashing, marking a triumphant return to the West End stage.”
Usage
Commonly used with 'time', 'idea', or 'job'.
02breaking into pieces
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the act of breaking something brittle, like glass, into many small pieces.
n. the action of violently breaking or shattering a brittle object into fragments.
“The sudden smashing of glass in the kitchen woke everyone up.”
“The investigation focused on the deliberate smashing of the shop windows during the midnight protests.”
Synonyms
03sexual intercourse
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Slang · Vulgar
n. a very informal and rude way to talk about having sex.
n. an act of sexual intercourse; highly informal and potentially offensive depending on the social context.
“He made a crude joke about smashing after the date.”
“The lyrics were criticized for their repetitive references to smashing, which many found unnecessarily graphic for a pop song.”
Teaching tip
This sense is highly informal and can be seen as disrespectful or objectifying; learners should avoid using it in most social settings.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Suburbs across Sydney were expected to reach up to 33C on Saturday afternoon, smashing average September records by up to 13C.” “Police say the suspects gained entry into the home by smashing in a first-floor window.” Etymology
From smash + -ing. As a synonym for wonderful, the term first appeared in the United States in the early twentieth century, and possibly derives from the sense of smash used in smash hit and similar terms. Popular folk etymology connects the term to the broadly homophonous Irish is maith sin or Scottish Gaelic 's math sin ("that is good"), but this has been described as "improbable", and does not appear in the etymological dictionaries.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- 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
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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