crush 1 of 2

1
as in to mash
to cause to become a pulpy mass dark-colored grapes that will be crushed to make red wine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
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5
as in to squeeze
to apply external pressure on so as to force out the juice or contents of after crushing the grapes, let the skins soak in the juice in order to extract some color

Synonyms & Similar Words

6
as in to cram
to fit (people or things) into a tight space the desperate refugees were crushed into the back of the truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

7

crush

2 of 2

noun

1
as in passion
a strong but often short-lived liking for another person fondly remembers the crush that she had on a boy one summer long ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

2

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun crush differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of crush are crowd, horde, mob, and throng. While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

When might crowd be a better fit than crush?

While the synonyms crowd and crush are close in meaning, crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

When is mob a more appropriate choice than crush?

The words mob and crush can be used in similar contexts, but mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

How do throng and horde relate to one another, in the sense of crush?

Both throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters
a horde of shoppers

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

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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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