1
2
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
squashed any effort to reform the country's power structure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squashing
Speakers also recounted the resignation from Congress of Marjorie Taylor Greene in January, maintaining that the Republican Party is squashing its anti-Israel voices, while the Democratic Party is electing them.
—
Joseph Strauss,
Sun Sentinel,
8 June 2026
Imagine if Jeff Bezos got bored just owning The Washington Post, firing hundreds of writers and squashing the freedom of its opinion section, and decided to join the American forces parachuting into Venezuela or Iran, only to ignore their orders and seize some prisoners on his own.
—
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Morris fell on top of her, knees spread to keep from squashing Dinah’s chest and maybe killing her.
—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Tourists can threaten ecosystems by compacting soils, squashing fragile vegetation and bringing in non-native microbes and plant species.
—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
8 May 2026
The actor ended up growing a beard and added some makeup, squashing most concerns that his cover might be blown.
—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 May 2026
Despite squashing his beef with his former crew, Bam Margera will not be back for new stunts, but there will be archival footage of him and Ryan Dunn.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Here’s to the people who strive and persevere and realize their dreams, without squashing the dignity of others.
—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
The decision marked the first time in tournament history that the final weeks of the college basketball season would not be played, squashing Atlanta’s plans to host the Final Four.
—
Shari Rudavsky,
IndyStar,
27 Mar. 2026
Joseph Strauss,
Sun Sentinel,
8 June 2026
Imagine if Jeff Bezos got bored just owning The Washington Post, firing hundreds of writers and squashing the freedom of its opinion section, and decided to join the American forces parachuting into Venezuela or Iran, only to ignore their orders and seize some prisoners on his own.
—
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Morris fell on top of her, knees spread to keep from squashing Dinah’s chest and maybe killing her.
—
Stephen King,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Tourists can threaten ecosystems by compacting soils, squashing fragile vegetation and bringing in non-native microbes and plant species.
—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
8 May 2026
The actor ended up growing a beard and added some makeup, squashing most concerns that his cover might be blown.
—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 May 2026
Despite squashing his beef with his former crew, Bam Margera will not be back for new stunts, but there will be archival footage of him and Ryan Dunn.
—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Here’s to the people who strive and persevere and realize their dreams, without squashing the dignity of others.
—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
The decision marked the first time in tournament history that the final weeks of the college basketball season would not be played, squashing Atlanta’s plans to host the Final Four.
—
Shari Rudavsky,
IndyStar,
27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squashing
Verb
-
Many of our schools do a decent job of crushing students’ desire for mental effort.
-
And in the end, the Sox scored their most runs in a game since 1970, crushing the Kansas City Royals 22-1 in front of 31,130 at Rate Field.
Verb
-
Ukrainian forces can now detect and strike Russian troops day and night, often suppressing positions before infantry move in.
-
The migrating dust can move from the African desert more than 5,000 miles westward over the Atlantic and is known for suppressing rainfall and conditions that support hurricanes.
Verb
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Rooker, 31, is known as one of the most durable players in the league, having played in all 162 games last season and mashing at least 30 home runs in each of the last three seasons.
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More often, the series borrows from the overall feeling of Dippold’s inspirations, mashing up and remixing the obsessions of a lifelong horror fan.
Verb
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The very system itself - schooling and parenting - now operates on quelling agency.
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The mosquitoes came out in droves at night, just before bed, quelling our ambitions of stargazing or watching for the northern lights.
Verb
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Of course, attempts to get more revenue out of taxpayers would carry political risks, but voters have been open to squeezing the wealthy.
-
Coach Spencer Carbery has done a masterful job of both squeezing what’s left out of the franchise’s best-ever player — Ovechkin led the Caps in both goals (32) and points (64) in 2025-26 — while simultaneously masking the deficiencies that come with age.
Verb
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Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.
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Officers then shot her with a Taser, subduing her enough to take her into custody, police said.
Verb
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People who were explored through an untraditional lens, or people living on the margins … who are repressing, hiding.
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The Murillo-Ortega dictatorship has been accused of repressing the Nicaraguan people — especially Catholic and LGBTQ citizens.
Verb
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Industry groups, meanwhile, are quashing proposals for higher taxes or stricter regulation by exerting pressure on lawmakers and cozying up to power players in the worlds of philanthropy, medicine, and science.
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Recently, scientists found that the sharks keep their eyesight well into senescence, not only quashing some suspicions that the animals were blind but also revealing their vision remains functional in low light for more than a century.
Cite this Entry
“Squashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squashing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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