as in overwhelming
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Dissimilar Words
1
2
as in quelling
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 grinding
to reduce to fine particles
crushed the baby's medicine tablet and mixed it with applesauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in devastating
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the terrible news of her death simply crushed the entire family
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in squeezing
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 cramming
to fit (people or things) into a tight space
the desperate refugees were crushed into the back of the truck
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in hugging
to put one's arms around and press tightly
she tearfully crushed the child to her breast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crushing
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Even the laughs and smiles that Joe and Kate Keller issue are fleeting, a respite from the journey toward a more crushing reality.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
The Chicago White Sox broke out in a big way offensively Friday, crushing the Athletics 9-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 12,027 at Sutter Health Park.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026
Her scathing insults are as giddy as her crushing acknowledgements are gut-wrenching, as Lindsay strains to navigate a situation spinning further and further outside of her limited domain.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Trout homered for the fifth time during a four-game series on Thursday, crushing a 446-foot drive in the seventh inning for the Los Angeles Angels in an 11-4 victory.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
Undrafted out of high school, Torkelson matriculated to Arizona State and started torching college pitching, eventually crushing Barry Bonds’ school record for home runs by a freshman.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Looking for a response after a lopsided loss to the Edmonton Oilers the previous night, the Sharks instead allowed two goals in the opening seven minutes – and didn’t get a shot of their own on net in more than 13 minutes – in a crushing 6-1 loss to the Ducks at Honda Center.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
To reject any anomaly, anything mysterious or unusual, Kawamura suggests, is to succumb to a soul-crushing, self-serving conformity—and to withhold possibilities of decency, discovery, and love that make any game worth playing, life very much included.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Industry leaders tell me the Iran war has raised costs, hit demand and sent workers fleeing, crushing hopes of a sustained recovery.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
And that makes his collapse all the more crushing.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Even the laughs and smiles that Joe and Kate Keller issue are fleeting, a respite from the journey toward a more crushing reality.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
Meanwhile, Willson Contreras greeted Valdez with a first-inning solo shot to tie the game at 1-1, crushing an 0-2 sinker 394 feet into the Green Monster seats.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
The Chicago White Sox broke out in a big way offensively Friday, crushing the Athletics 9-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 12,027 at Sutter Health Park.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026
Her scathing insults are as giddy as her crushing acknowledgements are gut-wrenching, as Lindsay strains to navigate a situation spinning further and further outside of her limited domain.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Trout homered for the fifth time during a four-game series on Thursday, crushing a 446-foot drive in the seventh inning for the Los Angeles Angels in an 11-4 victory.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
Undrafted out of high school, Torkelson matriculated to Arizona State and started torching college pitching, eventually crushing Barry Bonds’ school record for home runs by a freshman.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Looking for a response after a lopsided loss to the Edmonton Oilers the previous night, the Sharks instead allowed two goals in the opening seven minutes – and didn’t get a shot of their own on net in more than 13 minutes – in a crushing 6-1 loss to the Ducks at Honda Center.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
To reject any anomaly, anything mysterious or unusual, Kawamura suggests, is to succumb to a soul-crushing, self-serving conformity—and to withhold possibilities of decency, discovery, and love that make any game worth playing, life very much included.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Industry leaders tell me the Iran war has raised costs, hit demand and sent workers fleeing, crushing hopes of a sustained recovery.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crushing
Adjective
-
Visiting with kids The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium is designed to be family-friendly without feeling overwhelming.—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Most of all, the overwhelming sense for those watching from home was intense FOMO.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Often apologizing in between bites, Beard, 40, eats savagely with his hands, squeezing food and mashing it into his mouth.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Rice impressed last season, mashing 26 home runs and driving in 65 runs, but Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter thinks the 27-year-old is going to take it to a whole new level this season, boldly predicting Rice mashes 40 home runs this season.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Government forces brought reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, quelling the violence.—
Omar Albam,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In December, the Mouse House pledged to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and entered a three-year licensing agreement for allowing over 200 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters’ likenesses to be used in Sora, quelling some of the text-to-video app’s brushups with copyright law.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bodies in motion are intercut with a bespoke gun factory’s grinding gears; human combats are juxtaposed with VR imagery or first-person shooter games.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Best Krups coffee grinders This is perfect for precision grinding for cold brew, espresso and pour-over coffee.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
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Two tornadoes ripped through west Michigan on April 14, devastating a family dairy farm in Fenick, releasing hundreds of cows and leaving thousands without power.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Medical cost inflation surged, squeezing margins and forcing guidance lower, while Washington added uncertainty around reimbursements and oversight.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
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At the same time, inflation has ticked higher yet again, squeezing budgets and leaving less room for aggressive repayment strategies.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Bring a lightweight coat with big pockets, and start cramming stuff into them.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
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Instead of using an oversized crock or cramming utensils into drawers and making a mess, try hanging them on the wall.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This past month, Vrabel and the former The Athletic reporter were seen holding hands and hugging at the luxury resort in Arizona.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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The images showed Vrabel and Russini, 43, hugging and holding hands at a luxury hotel in Arizona.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushing. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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