A shredder is a machine that cuts paper into tiny strips or pieces, destroying documents so no one can read them. Offices use shredders when they need to throw away papers containing private information like passwords, medical records, or financial data. Instead of just tossing these papers in the trash where someone might find them, a shredder slices them into confetti-like bits that can't be put back together.

Home shredders are small enough to sit on a desk and can handle a few sheets at a time. Industrial shredders in businesses and government offices are much larger and more powerful, some capable of shredding entire boxes of documents, CDs, or even credit cards. The shredded material is usually recycled.

You might shred cheese with a grater or shred lettuce for tacos. A shredder does this job mechanically with paper. In slang, a shredder can also mean someone who's exceptionally skilled at skateboarding, snowboarding, or playing guitar, tearing through tricks or riffs with impressive ability.