1
2
as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
the government is doing everything to crush the latest guerrilla uprising
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to grind
to reduce to fine particles
crushed the baby's medicine tablet and mixed it with applesauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the terrible news of her death simply crushed the entire family
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
6
7
as in to hug
to put one's arms around and press tightly
she tearfully crushed the child to her breast
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in swarm
a great number of persons or creatures massed together
the huge crush in the store must have far exceeded safety limits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of crush
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026
Andy also feels the soul-crushing heat, getting lambasted for no one reading her stories before lining up an exclusive interview with a wealthy, reclusive philanthropist (Lucy Liu).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Her dad will be cool with it and so will her younger sister, who has a crush of her own on a girl.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crush
Verb
After scoring a crushing victory over Hezbollah in 2024, Israel is finding its ongoing campaign in Lebanon much more difficult, in large part due to its adoption of the war in Ukraine’s deadliest innovation.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026
Andy also feels the soul-crushing heat, getting lambasted for no one reading her stories before lining up an exclusive interview with a wealthy, reclusive philanthropist (Lucy Liu).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
But she was also consumed with her first crush, a tall, handsome boy named Nathan.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026
Her dad will be cool with it and so will her younger sister, who has a crush of her own on a girl.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crush
Verb
-
Whether baked, fried, boiled or mashed, potatoes are a big part of breakfast, lunch and dinner.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
However, the election itself has a more lax timeline, so Kemp could wait to schedule it until September or even November, leaving District 13 without leadership and mashing the special election up with the normal midterm election for Scott’s seat.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Abreu quelled the inning, however, striking out Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo swinging at sliders.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Everything is going according to plan so far with the launch of the Democratic Church of America; civil unrest is sure to follow, but the Seven should be able to quell any issues by recalling the supes overseas.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The production, directed with the brooding fluidity that is David Cromer’s calling card, is most alive in the evolving dynamic between Nick and Jacki, whose romance happens by degrees then all at once before reality intervenes and the criminal justice bureaucracy grinds to a halt.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
And, over the weekend, that community showed up in the simplest way possible — side by side in a gym, grinding through a workout, and remembering the ones who didn’t make it home.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Automakers around the globe and their employees fear being overwhelmed by BYD’s prolific industrial capacity and competitive pricing.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
-
These systems could overwhelm enemy defenses or give wide-area sensing across large regions.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The global economy and consumers everywhere Consumers across the world are already getting squeezed by the impacts of the war.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
-
In a behind-the-scenes shot by Alex Bramall, Princess Charlotte is seen sitting in front of Eugenie, laughing so hard her eyes are squeezed shut.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
What takes years of planning for many restaurateurs is crammed into this tiny timeframe, complete with design choices, menu creation and shopping, and on top of that, an actual restaurant service.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Hundreds of residents crammed into City Hall, filling multiple overflow rooms.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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They were seen hugging at the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico in October 2023, strolling ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas in November 2024 and holding hands at the Grand Prix of Miami in 2025.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
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Russini resigned from The Athletic earlier this month amid mounting criticism over her relationship with Vrabel, the New England Patriots’ head coach, after being photographed hugging and holding hands at a private resort in Sedona, Arizona.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Edmondson wears top hats, but his real passion is for period technology.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
On the walls hang works by Andy Warhol, reflecting his long-standing passion as an art collector.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crush. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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