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
Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 15 Oct. 2025
Grijalva, a Tucson native and former Pima County supervisor, crushed her Republican opponent, 69% to 29%.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
Safety features as standard include a reversing camera and alarm, pedestrian noise emitter, non-slip flooring, grab handles, roof crush protection, three-point safety belts in bright orange, and automotive-grade front and rear windshields.
—New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crush
Verb
Mission Viejo crushed Long Beach Poly 56-7 in the Diablos’ final nonleague game.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 15 Oct. 2025
Grijalva, a Tucson native and former Pima County supervisor, crushed her Republican opponent, 69% to 29%.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Twin Cities, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
She’s been written up more times than your high school crush.
—Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
Safety features as standard include a reversing camera and alarm, pedestrian noise emitter, non-slip flooring, grab handles, roof crush protection, three-point safety belts in bright orange, and automotive-grade front and rear windshields.
—New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crush
Verb
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New York's roster led the league in home runs this season, mashing 30 more than the next team with 274 overall, and scored 849 runs, the most in the league.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Schwarber mashed 56 homers, drove in 132 runs and led the league in doing both those things.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The large police presence, with a handful of riot vans positioned between the protestors and the stadium entrance, quelled any threat of violence until a small flashpoint close to half-time — tear gas was briefly used to disperse activists who attempted to break through police barricades.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Those deployments provoked more protests, which, in turn, fuelled the Administration’s claims that troops are needed to quell them.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Indiana Fever, a part of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, have been ground zero for the W’s soaring financial standing.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The breaches come as the air travel industry has been dealing with an onslaught of cyberattacks that have caused disruptions for customers and ground some of the world’s largest airports to a halt.—
Martin Goillandeau,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Walt Disney Imagineering updated the storyline of Black Widow Bride Constance Hatchway earlier this year by turning her from an axe murderer who beheads her wealthy husbands into a more mournful figure overwhelmed by the dread of lost love.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Over such spans, change overwhelms continuity; too much simply disappears.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Freeman took rookie Chad Patrick deep for the first Dodgers run, and his teammates squeezed a second run out of Brewers closer Abner Uribe in the ninth.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Nara announced the cute name in a post on her Instagram showing little Fawnie curled up in soft blankets, along with a video clip squeezing her tiny hand.—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Blanton says detainees were routinely denied their medication and were crammed into overcrowded cells.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Riders crammed armpit to nostril on train platforms.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Encourage job hugging for the right reasons.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
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The new Fast & Furious coaster revved up its engines and raced around the hillside-hugging track for the first time at Universal Studios Hollywood in preparation of the 2026 debut of the new thrill ride.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Each candle pairs a calming scent with a meaningful crystal, like rose quartz for healing or garnet for passion.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Glamour,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Until the attempt to muzzle Kimmel failed, giving satirists a new cause and fresh passion to pursue it.—
Eric Deggans,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crush. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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