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
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Recent Examples of crush
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
The Lachman Fire was quickly contained but appears to have rekindled after it was presumed to be extinguished – leading to the Palisades fire amidst crushing heat and hurricane level Santa Ana winds on January 7.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 Oct. 2025
Dlott sentenced Morelli, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute animal crush videos, to four years in prison and ordered him to pay a $25,000 fine.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crush
Verb
When their cores run out of fuel, gravity crushes them inward, triggering supernovae that leave behind a neutron star or black hole.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
The Lachman Fire was quickly contained but appears to have rekindled after it was presumed to be extinguished – leading to the Palisades fire amidst crushing heat and hurricane level Santa Ana winds on January 7.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
Fast forward, 20 years later, and Swift is not a little girl anymore, and her music isn’t about little girl crushes and worries.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 Oct. 2025
Dlott sentenced Morelli, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute animal crush videos, to four years in prison and ordered him to pay a $25,000 fine.
—Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crush
Verb
-
Theme parks mash up characters from different franchises all the time.—
Robert Niles,
Oc Register,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The team’s active wRC+ leader is Refsnyder, who, like Gonzalez, is a platoon hitter capable of mashing lefties.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With the ending of placements at the Civic and city-funded rooms in other CoLEAD shelters, safety ambassadors who were paid to quell the violence on Third Avenue turned to other shelter organizations.—
Ashley Hiruko,
ProPublica,
6 Oct. 2025
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For decades, DeLodder said, hospitals have quelled the establishment of freestanding birthing centers by arguing against their necessity.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The intermittent pops of muzzle fire are drowned out as tank treads grind the asphalt down Washington Street toward the East River waterfront, where a 100-year-old carousel lays in ruin.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
9 Oct. 2025
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Those guys will grind that quickness, so their game will look different than the other lines.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Levi’s style hits right at the hips, per one five-foot-two reviewer, and comes with a simple, zip-up design to avoid overwhelming your figure.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
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With no relatives in attendance, the weight of his tragedy overwhelmed him.—
Seth Carnell,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
These 515 V3s, along with other New Balance sneakers, offer a wide, roomy toe box, ensuring that my toes aren’t squeezed together and out of alignment.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
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The shoes fold in half, becoming compact enough to fit in your personal item or squeeze into a corner of your carry-on.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Nutribullet Ultra crams a 1200-watt motor into its rather slim casing; that’s double the wattage of the Nutribullet Pro blender that’s a step down.—
Noah Kaufman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
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Use your backpack or your sleeping bag crammed into its compression sack beneath your forearms.—
Kate Pitts,
Outside,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the summer, lush green pastures and 6-foot cornstalks hug the highway like veins funneling blood through the region.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Brazilian photojournalists on either side, both women, hugged me in an eruption of ebullience in the Lumière.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Can a player with such high-level talent supplement his passion with winning focus?—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Her discovery, her self-creation, her passion, and emergence as an artist felt braided with what had originally fascinated me about paint-making.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crush. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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