1
2
as in suppresses
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 grinds
to reduce to fine particles
crushed the baby's medicine tablet and mixed it with applesauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in overwhelms
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 hugs
to put one's arms around and press tightly
she tearfully crushed the child to her breast
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in passions
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
as in swarms
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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of crushes
Henry Skinner, STAT, 5 Mar. 2026
Early voting crushes record in Texas Early voting in Texas smashed records.
—From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
Or perhaps you will be filled with private thoughts, fantasies and crushes about someone.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026
Nvidia crushes earnings; Wall Street shrugs Nvidia delivered absolutely blockbuster results in the final three months of 2025, as demand for its AI chips went through the roof.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Behind her closed door, Bree takes out the data card with Lucy’s confession and crushes it with a stapler.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
Layer on top of this the inescapable student-loan debt that crushes their spirit and bank accounts.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
While many of the Williams wannabes came from near and far, there were a few Caleb crushes in the crowd.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … HOUSTON HITS HARD – Steelers' playoff nightmare continues as Texans defense crushes Rodgers in rout.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
Elizabeth was principled and compassionate while Jessica was carefree, outgoing and manipulative, and their clashes and crushes became a welcome distraction.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
On the cusp of adolescence, Vincent starts questioning his identity, friendships and family, while experiencing his first crushes.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The young boy then has to navigate being 10 and being bullied, having crushes on girls, all while older siblings Yvette (Essence Atkins) and Marcus (Jason Weaver) cringe at the thought of him being at the same high school.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Learn what dating looks like in different cultures, witness the devastation when crushes go sideways, and enjoy the redemption when couples rediscover their spark and move forward.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Jan. 2026
Having harbored secret crushes on each other at the time, the two might get a second chance at romance as they are reunited years later when Tyler crosses paths with Bode.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2025
Pour yourself into your poetry, your crushes, your late-night brainstorms.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Nov. 2025
Bachelorette Preview Bullet Points • Taylor’s got some crushes.
—Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Verb
Because these drugs are so precious, new antibiotics are deliberately held in reserve to slow the emergence of resistance, a practice known as stewardship that benefits future patients but crushes commercial prospects.
—Henry Skinner, STAT, 5 Mar. 2026
Early voting crushes record in Texas Early voting in Texas smashed records.
—From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
Or perhaps you will be filled with private thoughts, fantasies and crushes about someone.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026
Nvidia crushes earnings; Wall Street shrugs Nvidia delivered absolutely blockbuster results in the final three months of 2025, as demand for its AI chips went through the roof.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
Behind her closed door, Bree takes out the data card with Lucy’s confession and crushes it with a stapler.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
Layer on top of this the inescapable student-loan debt that crushes their spirit and bank accounts.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
While many of the Williams wannabes came from near and far, there were a few Caleb crushes in the crowd.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … HOUSTON HITS HARD – Steelers' playoff nightmare continues as Texans defense crushes Rodgers in rout.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
Listening felt like being pulled into side chats with lots of different characters who were at precisely the right level of intoxication to reveal something interesting to you—crushes, anxieties, rivalries.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2026
Elizabeth was principled and compassionate while Jessica was carefree, outgoing and manipulative, and their clashes and crushes became a welcome distraction.
—Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
On the cusp of adolescence, Vincent starts questioning his identity, friendships and family, while experiencing his first crushes.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The young boy then has to navigate being 10 and being bullied, having crushes on girls, all while older siblings Yvette (Essence Atkins) and Marcus (Jason Weaver) cringe at the thought of him being at the same high school.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Learn what dating looks like in different cultures, witness the devastation when crushes go sideways, and enjoy the redemption when couples rediscover their spark and move forward.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Jan. 2026
Having harbored secret crushes on each other at the time, the two might get a second chance at romance as they are reunited years later when Tyler crosses paths with Bode.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2025
Pour yourself into your poetry, your crushes, your late-night brainstorms.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Nov. 2025
Bachelorette Preview Bullet Points • Taylor’s got some crushes.
—Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crushes
Verb
-
Cheaper pruners use a blade and anvil — essentially one sharp blade that mashes the branch against a flat surface.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This showstopper of a dessert mashes up the bold caffeinated flavors of classic tiramisu with the perfectly wobbly, creamy perfection of panna cotta.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Light naturally suppresses melatonin, a sleep hormone, and activates your internal clock.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Cut screens at least one hour before bed Blue light from phones, tablets, and televisions suppresses melatonin production and keeps the brain in an alert state.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The dramatic move comes as shipping traffic grinds to an effective halt in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, amid fears of prolonged disruption to global trade.—
Dan Mangan,Garrett Downs,Leslie Josephs,Holly Ellyatt,Chloe Taylor,Sam Meredith,Azhar Sukri,Anniek Bao,Kevin Breuninger,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
-
But by the start of this season, our young capitalists have been flung further afield into new jobs and new places that stir up a vague sense of menace even before the actual danger of the plot grinds into action.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Additionally, some of the visual scenery projected behind and above the set doesn’t always embrace but overwhelms the acting below.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In practice, fluent dialogue quickly overwhelms reflective distance.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Drew Angerer / Getty Images file For months, school officials have floated proposals to relocate or close at least four middle schools on the Upper West Side, citing low enrollment, funding squeezes, academic performance and compliance with a 2022 law requiring class-size reductions by 2028.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
1 Mar. 2026
-
While most bullion coins track spot closely, certain products remain in higher demand during supply squeezes or retail rushes.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Gonzalez has been an advanced metrics darling in his first NBA season — the only two players ranked in the top 10 in offensive, defensive and net rating entering Monday were him and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — but rarely stuffs the conventional stat sheet.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Rapisura-Pardo stuffs a jalapeno half with a creamy crawfish filling, wraps it in a spring roll wrapper and fries until golden.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the pictures, Sarah wore an ash gray cardigan, her thick brunette hair shoulder-length; Elena, in a flowery dress, hugs her mom in one photo.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The district hugs a square mile, from Sixth to 23rd streets, from Ocean Drive on the Atlantic Ocean to Lenox Court near Biscayne Bay.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His two abiding passions are aviation and fashion, but basketball still reigns supreme.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Founded by an avid reader and a personal chef, the series merges their complementary passions to create an immersive gathering space.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crushes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushes. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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