Smash vs. Hit — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 21, 2024
Smash implies forceful, often destructive impact, while hit involves making contact, potentially with less force.
Difference Between Smash and Hit
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Smash typically denotes a forceful and often violent impact, suggesting breaking or shattering. Whereas hit means to make contact with something, but does not inherently imply destruction.
In sports, smash is used specifically in games like tennis or badminton to describe a powerful overhead stroke, while hit is more universally applied across various sports to denote any type of striking action.
When referring to success in entertainment, smash is colloquially used to mean a huge success, particularly in the music or film industries. On the other hand, hit refers to any successful song, movie, or show, but with a broader range of success levels.
In terms of sound, smash often conveys a loud, crashing noise indicative of something being broken. In contrast, hit can produce a variety of sounds depending on the context, not necessarily loud or destructive.
The intent behind the terms also differs; smash can imply a deliberate intent to break or destroy, while hit might not convey any specific intention beyond the action of making contact.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To break something into pieces with force
To come into contact with something
Connotation
Often violent and destructive
General contact, not necessarily violent
Usage in Sports
Specific terms like tennis for a forceful stroke
Used broadly in many sports
Usage in Entertainment
Refers to massive success, especially sudden
Broadly used for any level of success
Sound
Implies a loud, crashing noise
Can vary, not specifically loud or crashing
Compare with Definitions
Smash
To violently break something into pieces.
He smashed the mirror with a hammer.
Hit
To come into contact with something forcefully.
The baseball player hit the ball right out of the park.
Smash
To achieve overwhelming success in entertainment.
Their debut album was a smash hit.
Hit
To strike with an intent to harm.
He hit the thief with a stick.
Smash
To crash destructively.
The car smashed into the storefront.
Hit
To affect something or someone negatively.
The economic downturn hit their company hard.
Smash
To hit something with a lot of force in sports.
She executed a perfect smash in the badminton match.
Hit
To come to someone's mind suddenly.
A great idea hit her during the meeting.
Smash
To forcefully press or push.
He smashed the button in frustration.
Hit
To reach a particular point or level.
The new video quickly hit one million views.
Smash
(Sports) To hit (a ball, puck, or shuttlecock) in a forceful overhand stroke.
Hit
To come into contact with forcefully; strike
The car hit the guardrail.
Smash
To break (something) into pieces suddenly, noisily, and violently; shatter.
Hit
To cause to come into contact
She hit her hand against the wall.
Smash
To render (something) into a mush or pulp, as by throwing or crushing
Smashed the tomatoes against the wall.
Hit
To deal a blow to
He hit the punching bag.
Smash
To strike with a heavy blow or impact
The boxer smashed his opponent in the ribs. The bulldozer smashed down the barricade.
Hit
To cause an implement or missile to come forcefully into contact with
Hit the nail with a hammer.
Smash
To cause to come into forceful contact with something
Stood up and smashed his head against the cabinet door.
Hit
To press or push (a key or button, for example)
Hit the return key by mistake.
Smash
To crush or destroy completely
The army smashed the rebellion.
Hit
To reach with a propelled ball or puck
Hit the running back with a pass.
Smash
To surpass or outdo by a large margin
Smashed the record for goals in a season.
Hit
To score in this way
She hit the winning basket.
Smash
To move and strike or collide suddenly, noisily, and violently
The car smashed into a tree.
Hit
To perform (a shot or maneuver) successfully
Couldn't hit the jump shot.
Smash
To break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow or collision
The dish smashed when it hit the floor.
Hit
To propel with a stroke or blow
Hit the ball onto the green.
Smash
(Sports) To hit a ball, puck, or shuttlecock in a forceful overhand stroke.
Hit
To execute (a base hit) successfully
Hit a single.
Smash
To go bankrupt.
Hit
To bat against (a pitcher or kind of pitch) successfully
Can't hit a slider.
Smash
A heavy blow or collision
The smash knocked over the signpost.
Hit
To affect, especially adversely
The company was hit hard by the recession. Influenza hit the elderly the hardest.
Smash
(Sports) A forceful overhand stroke, as in tennis or badminton.
Hit
To be affected by (a negative development)
Their marriage hit a bad patch.
Smash
A violent breaking of something or the noise made by such breaking
There was a loud smash in the kitchen as the dishes fell off the shelf.
Hit
To win (a prize, for example), especially in a lottery.
Smash
Total defeat or destruction; ruin.
Hit
To arise suddenly in the mind of; occur to
It finally hit him that she might be his long-lost sister.
Smash
Financial failure; bankruptcy.
Hit
(Informal) To go to or arrive at
We hit the beach early.
Smash
A drink made of mint, sugar, soda water, and alcoholic liquor, usually brandy.
Hit
(Informal) To attain or reach
Monthly sales hit a new high. She hit 40 on her last birthday.
Smash
A soft drink made of crushed fruit.
Hit
To produce or represent accurately
Trying to hit the right note.
Smash
(Informal) A resounding success
The play was a smash on Broadway.
Hit
(Games) To deal cards to.
Smash
Of, relating to, or being a resounding success
A smash hit on Broadway.
Hit
(Sports) To bite on or take (bait or a lure). Used of a fish.
Smash
With a sudden violent crash.
Hit
To strike or deal a blow.
Smash
The sound of a violent impact; a violent striking together.
I could hear the screech of the brakes, then the horrible smash of cars colliding.
Hit
To come into contact with something; collide.
Smash
A traffic collision.
The driver and two passengers were badly injured in the smash.
Hit
To attack
The raiders hit at dawn.
Smash
(colloquial) Something very successful or popular (as music, food, fashion, etc).
This new show is sure to be a smash.
Hit
To happen or occur
The storm hit without warning.
Smash
(tennis) A very hard overhead shot hit sharply downward.
A smash may not be as pretty as a good half volley, but it can still win points.
Hit
To achieve or find something desired or sought
Finally hit on the answer.
Hit upon a solution to the problem.
Smash
A bankruptcy.
Hit
(Baseball) To bat or bat well
Their slugger hasn't been hitting lately.
Smash
A disaster; a bad situation.
Hit
(Sports) To score by shooting, especially in basketball
Hit on 7 of 8 shots.
Smash
A mashed foodstuff.
Hit
To ignite a mixture of air and fuel in the cylinders. Used of an internal-combustion engine.
Smash
A kind of julep cocktail containing chunks of fresh fruit that can be eaten after finishing the drink.
Hit
A collision or impact.
Smash
Airspeed; dynamic pressure.
Hit
A successfully executed shot, blow, thrust, or throw.
Smash
(transitive) To break (something brittle) violently.
The demolition team smashed the buildings to rubble.
The flying rock smashed the window to pieces.
Hit
(Sports) A deliberate collision with an opponent, such as a body check in ice hockey.
Smash
(intransitive) To be destroyed by being smashed.
The crockery smashed as it hit the floor.
Hit
A successful or popular venture
A Broadway hit.
Smash
(transitive) To hit extremely hard.
He smashed his head against the table.
Bonds smashed the ball 467 feet, the second longest home run in the history of the park.
Hit
A match of data in a search string against data that one is searching.
Smash
To ruin completely and suddenly.
The news smashed any hopes of a reunion.
Hit
A connection made to a website over the internet or another network
Our company's website gets about 250,000 hits daily.
Smash
To defeat overwhelmingly; to gain a comprehensive success over.
The Indians smashed the Yankees 22-0.
I really smashed that English exam.
Hit
An apt or effective remark.
Smash
To deform through continuous pressure.
I slowly smashed the modeling clay flat with the palm of my hand.
Hit
Abbr. H(Baseball) A base hit.
Smash
To have sexual intercourse with.
Would you smash her?
Hit
A dose of a narcotic drug.
Smash
To break in pieces by violence; to dash to pieces; to crush.
Here everything is broken and smashed to pieces.
Hit
A puff of a cigarette or a pipe.
Smash
To hit (the ball) from above the level of the net with a very hard overhand stroke.
Hit
(Slang) A murder planned and carried out usually by a member of an underworld syndicate.
Smash
To break up, or to pieces suddenly, as the result of collision or pressure.
Hit
To strike.
Smash
A breaking or dashing to pieces; utter destruction; wreck.
Hit
(transitive) To administer a blow to, directly or with a weapon or missile.
One boy hit the other.
Smash
Hence, bankruptcy.
Hit
(transitive) To come into contact with forcefully and suddenly.
The ball hit the fence.
Smash
A vigorous blow;
The sudden knock floored him
He took a bash right in his face
He got a bang on the head
Hit
(intransitive) To strike against something.
Smash
A serious collision (especially of motor vehicles)
Hit
(transitive) To activate a button or key by pressing and releasing it.
Hit the Enter key to continue.
Smash
A hard return hitting the tennis ball above your head
Hit
To kill a person, usually on the instructions of a third party.
Hit him tonight and throw the body in the river.
Smash
The act of colliding with something;
His crash through the window
The fullback's smash into the defensive line
Hit
To attack, especially amphibiously.
If intelligence had been what it should have been, I don't think we'd ever have hit that island.
Smash
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
Hit
To affect someone, as if dealing a blow to that person.
Their coffee really hits the spot.
I used to listen to that song all the time, but it hits different(ly) now.
Smash
Hit hard;
He smashed a 3-run homer
Hit
To manage to touch (a target) in the right place.
I hit the jackpot.
Smash
Break into pieces, as by striking or knocking over;
Smash a plate
Hit
To switch on.
Somebody's been here! Hit the lights!
Smash
Reduce to bankruptcy;
My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!
The slump in the financial markets smashed him
Hit
To briefly visit.
We hit the grocery store on the way to the park.
Smash
Hit violently;
She smashed her car against the guard rail
Hit
To encounter an obstacle or other difficulty.
We hit a lot of traffic coming back from the movies.
Smash
Humiliate or depress completely;
She was crushed by his refusal of her invitation
The death of her son smashed her
Hit
(heading) To attain, to achieve.
Smash
Damage or destroy as if by violence;
The teenager banged up the car of his mother
Hit
To reach or achieve.
The movie hits theaters in December.
The temperature could hit 110°F tomorrow.
We hit Detroit at one in the morning but kept driving through the night.
Smash
Hit (a tennis ball) in a powerful overhead stroke
Hit
(intransitive) To meet or reach what was aimed at or desired; to succeed, often by luck.
Smash
Collide or strike violently and suddenly;
The motorcycle smashed into the guard rail
Hit
To guess; to light upon or discover.
Smash
Overthrow or destroy (something considered evil or harmful);
The police smashed the drug ring after they were tipped off
Hit
(transitive) To affect negatively.
The economy was hit by a recession.
The hurricane hit his fishing business hard.
Smash
Break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow;
The window smashed
Hit
(metaphorically) To attack.
Smash
With a loud crash;
The car went smash through the fence
Hit
To make a play.
Hit
In blackjack, to deal a card to.
Hit me.
Hit
To come up to bat.
Jones hit for the pitcher.
Hit
(backgammon) To take up, or replace by a piece belonging to the opposing player; said of a single unprotected piece on a point.
Hit
To use; to connect to.
The external web servers hit DBSRV7, but the internal web server hits DBSRV3.
Hit
To have sex with.
I'd hit that!
Hit
To inhale an amount of smoke from a narcotic substance, particularly marijuana.
Hit
(of an exercise) to affect, to work a body part.
This is another great exercise which hits the long head.
Hit
To work out
With that said, the group hitting their legs just once a week still made gains.
Hit
A blow; a punch; a striking against; the collision of one body against another; the stroke that touches anything.
The hit was very slight.
Hit
Something very successful, such as a song, film, or video game, that receives widespread recognition and acclaim.
Hit
An attack on a location, person or people.
Hit
A collision of a projectile with the target.
Hit
In the game of Battleship, a correct guess at where one's opponent ship is.
Hit
A match found by searching a computer system or search engine
Hit
(Internet) A measured visit to a web site, a request for a single file from a web server.
My site received twice as many hits after being listed in a search engine.
Hit
An approximately correct answer in a test set.
Hit
(baseball) The complete play, when the batter reaches base without the benefit of a walk, error, or fielder’s choice.
The catcher got a hit to lead off the fifth.
Hit
(colloquial) A dose of an illegal or addictive drug.
Where am I going to get my next hit?
Hit
A premeditated murder done for criminal or political purposes.
Hit
(dated) A peculiarly apt expression or turn of thought; a phrase which hits the mark.
A happy hit
Hit
(backgammon) A move that throws one of the opponent's men back to the entering point.
Hit
(backgammon) A game won after the adversary has removed some of his men. It counts for less than a gammon.
Hit
Very successful.
The band played their hit song to the delight of the fans.
Hit
(dialectal) It.
Hit
It.
Hit
To reach with a stroke or blow; to strike or touch, usually with force; especially, to reach or touch (an object aimed at).
I think you have hit the mark.
Hit
To reach or attain exactly; to meet according to the occasion; to perform successfully; to attain to; to accord with; to be conformable to; to suit.
Birds learning tunes, and their endeavors to hit the notes right.
There you hit him; . . . that argument never fails with him.
Whose saintly visage is too brightTo hit the sense of human sight.
He scarcely hit my humor.
Hit
To guess; to light upon or discover.
Hit
To take up, or replace by a piece belonging to the opposing player; - said of a single unprotected piece on a point.
Hit
To meet or come in contact; to strike; to clash; - followed by against or on.
If bodies be extension alone, how can they move and hit one against another?
Corpuscles, meeting with or hitting on those bodies, become conjoined with them.
Hit
To meet or reach what was aimed at or desired; to succeed, - often with implied chance, or luck.
And oft it hitsWhere hope is coldest and despair most fits.
And millions miss for one that hits.
Hit
A striking against; the collision of one body against another; the stroke that touches anything.
So he the famed Cilician fencer praised,And, at each hit, with wonder seems amazed.
Hit
A stroke of success in an enterprise, as by a fortunate chance; as, he made a hit;
What late he called a blessing, now was wit,And God's good providence, a lucky hit.
Hit
A peculiarly apt expression or turn of thought; a phrase which hits the mark; as, a happy hit.
Hit
A game won at backgammon after the adversary has removed some of his men. It counts less than a gammon.
Hit
A striking of the ball; as, a safe hit; a foul hit; - sometimes used specifically for a base hit.
Hit
An act of murder performed for hire, esp. by a professional assassin.
Hit
(baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball);
He came all the way around on Williams' hit
Hit
The act of contacting one thing with another;
Repeated hitting raised a large bruise
After three misses she finally got a hit
Hit
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
Hit
(physics) an brief event in which two or more bodies come together;
The collision of the particles resulted in an exchange of energy and a change of direction
Hit
A dose of a narcotic drug
Hit
A murder carried out by an underworld syndicate;
It has all the earmarks of a Mafia hit
Hit
A connection made via the internet to another website;
WordNet gets many hits from users worldwide
Hit
Cause to move by striking;
Hit a ball
Hit
Hit against; come into sudden contact with;
The car hit a tree
He struck the table with his elbow
Hit
Affect or afflict suddenly, usually adversely;
We were hit by really bad weather
He was stricken with cancer when he was still a teenager
The earthquake struck at midnight
Hit
Deal a blow to, either with the hand or with an instrument;
He hit her hard in the face
Hit
Reach a destination, either real or abstract;
We hit Detroit by noon
The water reached the doorstep
We barely made it to the finish line
I have to hit the MAC machine before the weekend starts
Hit
Reach a point in time, or a certain state or level;
The thermometer hit 100 degrees
This car can reach a speed of 140 miles per hour
Hit
Hit with a missile from a weapon
Hit
Cause to experience suddenly;
Panic struck me
An interesting idea hit her
A thought came to me
The thought struck terror in our minds
They were struck with fear
Hit
Make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target;
The Germans struck Poland on Sept. 1, 1939
We must strike the enemy's oil fields
In the fifth inning, the Giants struck, sending three runners home to win the game 5 to 2
Hit
Hit the intended target or goal
Hit
Produce by manipulating keys or strings of musical instruments, also metaphorically;
The pianist strikes a middle C
Strike `z' on the keyboard
Her comments struck a sour note
Hit
Encounter by chance;
I stumbled across a long-lost cousin last night in a restaurant
Hit
Gain points in a game;
The home team scored many times
He hit a home run
He hit .300 in the past season
Hit
Consume to excess;
Hit the bottle
Hit
Kill intentionally and with premeditation;
The mafia boss ordered his enemies murdered
Hit
Drive something violently into a location;
He hit his fist on the table
She struck her head on the low ceiling
Hit
Pay unsolicited and usually unwanted sexual attention to;
He tries to hit on women in bars
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to smash something?
To break something into pieces with great force, often causing destruction.
What is the difference in sound implications between smash and hit?
Smash implies a louder, more destructive sound, while hit can have varied sound implications.
How are smash and hit used in music?
Smash refers to massive, often sudden success of a song or album, while hit can refer to any level of success.
Does hit always imply violence?
No, hit can simply mean to make contact and does not always carry a violent connotation.
What does it mean when a film is a smash hit?
It means the film was extremely successful, often unexpectedly so.
Can something be a hit without being a smash in the entertainment industry?
Yes, hits can range from moderate to great success, not all of which are as dramatic as smashes.
Is the intent always destructive when someone says they smashed something?
Typically, yes, smashing usually implies a destructive intent.
Can hit imply success like smash?
Yes, hit can also denote success, particularly in the context of songs, movies, or other media.
Can smash and hit be used interchangeably in sports?
No, smash is specific to actions like forceful strokes in tennis or badminton, whereas hit is more generally used to describe any contact in sports.
How does the intent differ between smash and hit?
Smash often has a destructive intent, whereas hit may not involve an intent to destroy.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
