crush

verb \ ˈkrəsh \

|Updated on: 22 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: crush in a Sentence

Definition of crush

crushed; crushing; crushes

transitive verb

1 a : to squeeze or force by pressure so as to alter or destroy structure

crush grapes

b : to squeeze together into a mass

She crushed her clothes into a bag.

2 : hug, embrace

She crushed her child to her breast.

3 : to reduce to particles by pounding or grinding

crush rock

4 a : to suppress or overwhelm as if by pressure or weight

b : to oppress or burden grievously

crushed by debt

c : to subdue completely

The rebellion was crushed.

5 : crowd, push

were crushed into the elevator

6 archaic : drink

intransitive verb

1 obsolete : crash

2 : to become crushed

The stewed tomatoes crush easily.

3 : to advance with or as if with crushing

The crowd crushed ruthlessly toward the exit.

—

crushable

play \ˈkrə-shə-bəl\ adjective

—

crusher

noun

—

crushingly

adverb

See crush defined for English-language learners

See crush defined for kids

Examples of crush in a Sentence

Unfortunately some of the flowers got crushed when we were moving them.
The bicycle was crushed under the truck's tires.
The machine crushes the cans so that they can be stored until they are recycled.
Her arm was crushed in the accident.
Crush the nuts and sprinkle them on top of the cake.
The rocks were crushed into dust.

Recent Examples of crush from the Web

The grapes are crushed, usually in September, filtered, stirred, strained and stored in large metal or concrete tanks for various periods, then siphoned into oak barrels for aging and blending.

— jo ellen meyers sharp, Indianapolis Star, "The Hoosier Gardener: Trip to Bordeaux wine country is an educational experience," 13 July 2018
Hopes were crushed on April 4, 1968, when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis.

— tim prudente, baltimoresun.com, "Collapse: The rise and deadly fall of a Baltimore rowhouse," 12 July 2018
There were deaths immediately, people whose legs were crushed.

— Washington Post, "Turkey: Train derailment kills at least 10, injures 73," 8 July 2018
Political protests were crushed, often with the help of vigilantes who included a motorbike-taxi baron.

— The Economist, "Uganda’s politicised police force is not reducing crime," 5 July 2018
Ledford was crushed, but her husband advised her to make the most of the time with the gentle giant who had seized her heart.

— sonja haller, USA TODAY, "Odin's bucket list: This dying St. Bernard is living his best life in his last days, thanks to owner," 5 July 2018
In March, Sandeep Sharma, another journalist, was crushed to death by a garbage truck in Madhya Pradesh state in central India.

— ashok sharma, Fox News, "Media watchdog urges India to protect journalists," 4 July 2018
The skeleton of a man attempting to flee the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. has been found crushed under massive stone block.

— jeff greer, The Courier-Journal, "Heaven on earth? This Courier Journal sports writer thinks he found it," 29 June 2018
Two workers at a New York global logistics company were fatally crushed in a workplace incident that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is now investigating.

— mckenna moore, Fortune, "OSHA Investigating After 2 Workers Crushed to Death at Logistics Company," 26 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crush.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of crush

Middle English crusshen, from Anglo-French croissir, croistre, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Low German krossen to crush

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

crush Synonyms

Phrases

sit on;

crush

noun

Definition of crush

1 : an act of crushing

2 : the quantity of material crushed

3 a : a crowding together (as of people)

b : crowd, mob; especially : a crowd of people pressing against one another

4 : an intense and usually passing infatuation

have a crush on someone

; also : the object of infatuation

—

crushproof

play \ˈkrəsh-ˌprüf\ adjective

See crush defined for English-language learners

Examples of crush in a Sentence

Yesterday I saw my old high school crush for the first time in five years.
The crush in the train station is at its worst during the afternoon rush hour.
Outside the hotel stood a crush of reporters waiting for her arrival.

Recent Examples of crush from the Web

But the American and other allied troops who helped crush IS are quietly heading home, and their generals are packing away their counter-insurgency field manuals.

— The Economist, "Jihadists are trying to take over the Sahel," 12 July 2018
Her character Marnie Piper — a young witch beginning to understand her powers — sets her sights on crush Kal (Kountz) early on in the film.

— dave quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Are Halloweentown's Kimberly J. Brown and Daniel Kountz Dating? See Their Cute Kissing Selfie," 10 July 2018
The lyrics are based on this schoolboy crush on this girl at school.

— gary trust, Billboard, "This Week in Billboard Chart History: In 2008, Katy Perry 'Kissed a Girl' & Hit No. 1 on the Hot 100," 2 July 2018
Erica’s celebrity childhood crush held her in his arms yesterday.

— nicole blanchard, idahostatesman, "This Idaho town has added another celebrity to its reserve officer ranks," 20 June 2018
Barry’s first crush must have been the blond mermaid on the Chicken of the Sea tuna cans his father bought at Waldbaum’s, four for a dollar.

— gary shteyngart, The New Yorker, "The Luck of Kokura," 18 June 2018
Bets like Daly’s were red meat for the television cameras, which at one point seemed to outnumber the remaining spectators after the initial crush.

— conor orr, SI.com, "$100 on the Browns to Win the Super Bowl: Legal NFL Gambling Opens in New Jersey," 15 June 2018
The excellent but squandered Rashida Jones has a couple of scenes as the guys’ old acquaintance and crush.

— michael phillips, chicagotribune.com, "'Tag' review: Don't these guys have anything else to do?," 14 June 2018
Now, however, McElhenney has harvested like that mass like Dennis suggested to become Jacked Mac — and the change was drastic enough to get the attention of former Philly Chase Utley, Mac’s celebrity crush.

— nick vadala, Philly.com, "Rob McElhenney is jacked enough to get Chase Utley's attention now," 12 June 2018

Origin and Etymology of crush

see ¹crush

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1599

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

crush Synonyms

Synonyms

army, crowd, drove, flock, herd, horde, host, legion, mass, mob, multitude, press, rout, swarm, throng;

gaggle;

heap, mountain, pile;

jam, logjam;

Synonym Discussion of crush

crowd, throng, horde, crush, mob mean an assembled multitude. crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

- a crowd gathered

throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

- a throng of reporters
- a horde of shoppers

crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

- a crush of fans

mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

- an angry mob

CRUSH Defined for English Language Learners

crush

verb

Definition of crush for English Language Learners

: to press or squeeze (something) so hard that it breaks or loses its shape
: to break (something) into a powder or very small pieces by pressing, pounding, or grinding it
: to defeat (a person or group that opposes you) by using a lot of force

crush

noun

Definition of crush for English Language Learners

: a strong feeling of romantic love for someone that is usually not expressed and does not last a long time
: the person on whom you have a crush
: a crowd of people who are pressed close together