smasher

noun

Smasher — a striking, conspicuous success that demands attention

Definition

A conspicuous success; "that song was his first hit and marked the beginning of his career"; "that new Broadway show is a real smasher"; "the party went with a bang"

In depth

A smasher, like smash, names a conspicuous success, the noun form carrying a slightly more informal, almost affectionate tone, often used to describe a person or work whose success is both undeniable and somewhat thrilling to witness. The word can also describe a remarkably impressive or attractive person or thing more broadly.

Origin

The word extends from 'smash,' likely imitative of forceful collision, with the agentive suffix '-er' marking the thing or person that performs the action. Its broader colloquial use, describing an impressive or attractive person, reflects the natural drift by which words for forceful success extend into general superlative praise.

Usage examples

"That song was his first hit, an absolute smasher that marked the beginning of his career."

"The new restaurant turned out to be a smasher, fully booked within its very first week."

"Critics called the debut a smasher, predicting, correctly, that her career had only just begun."

How to use it

Smasher is informal, somewhat dated British and American slang, suited to casual or deliberately colorful prose celebrating conspicuous success, though it has grown less common in contemporary usage compared to 'smash hit' or 'blockbuster.'