smash up

Violent collision event

To smash up is to damage or destroy something through violent impact: The drunk driver smashed up his car.

A smash-up is the resulting wreck or collision: a three-car smash-up on the highway.

The phrase emphasizes thoroughness of destruction—not just damaged but comprehensively wrecked.

destroy

wreck

Destroyed vessel or vehicle

shatter · crush · pulverize · ruin · devastate · obliterate · annihilate · trash · mangle · crumple

collision

crash

Sudden violent impact

  • wreckDestroyed vessel or vehicle
  • accidentUnintended harmful event
  • pileupSequential vehicular collision

impact · crunch · fender bender · wreckage · debris · dent · crumple · totaled · collision · rear-end

Categories
Opposites
DESTRUCTION vs. PRESERVATION

smash uprepair

Restore to working order

fix · restore · mend · preserve · patch up

VIOLENT IMPACT vs. GENTLE CONTACT

smash uphandle with care

Instruction for delicate items

caress · tap · nudge · fender-bender · brush

DISASSEMBLY vs. ASSEMBLY

smash upput together

Combine into one

assemble · construct · build · piece together · build up

Family

smash, smashed, smashing, smashes, smash-up, smasher, smashers, smashable

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG