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
ABC News,
21 June 2026
Then the two in the final three holes that sealed the crushing near-miss.
—
Nick Pietruszkiewicz,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
For millions of students like Saxena, who had already attempted the NEET last year and thought the May 3 exam was the finish line, the decision to throw out their results was crushing.
—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
Hervé Renard has been dramatically appointed Tunisia's new coach, replacing Sabri Lamouchi, who was fired after a crushing 5-1 World Cup loss to Sweden.
—
Beau Dure,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Less than two minutes later, Messi lost the ball near the halfway line and a France move ended with a sumptuous, crushing Mbappe volley hitting the back of the net.
—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
After Mexico suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat to Sweden, their hopes of advancing hinged on South Korea’s team pulling off an unlikely victory over Germany.
—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
It’s been 28 years since their last appearance, but the older fans remember the feeling of heady optimism, an occasional tease of excitement and then crushing disappointment.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Housing is too expensive, gas is at $5 a gallon, and student debt is crushing an entire generation of young people.
—
Miami Herald,
13 June 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
The crushing win followed England's own big win at Lord's and sends the series to a decider in Nottingham starting on Thursday.
—
ABC News,
21 June 2026
Then the two in the final three holes that sealed the crushing near-miss.
—
Nick Pietruszkiewicz,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
For millions of students like Saxena, who had already attempted the NEET last year and thought the May 3 exam was the finish line, the decision to throw out their results was crushing.
—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
Hervé Renard has been dramatically appointed Tunisia's new coach, replacing Sabri Lamouchi, who was fired after a crushing 5-1 World Cup loss to Sweden.
—
Beau Dure,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Less than two minutes later, Messi lost the ball near the halfway line and a France move ended with a sumptuous, crushing Mbappe volley hitting the back of the net.
—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
After Mexico suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat to Sweden, their hopes of advancing hinged on South Korea’s team pulling off an unlikely victory over Germany.
—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
It’s been 28 years since their last appearance, but the older fans remember the feeling of heady optimism, an occasional tease of excitement and then crushing disappointment.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Housing is too expensive, gas is at $5 a gallon, and student debt is crushing an entire generation of young people.
—
Miami Herald,
13 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crushing
Adjective
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Not to mention, the flattering waist tie and subtle side slit elevate your look ever so slightly without overwhelming, a fail-safe formula for chic European dressing.
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Lacks overwhelming physicality or highest level explosiveness, and didn't add any notable muscle mass between his freshman and sophomore seasons (175 pounds at 2025 combine and 176 at 2026 combine).
Verb
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More often, the series borrows from the overall feeling of Dippold’s inspirations, mashing up and remixing the obsessions of a lifelong horror fan.
-
Severance star Zach Cherry hit the Deadline Studio at SXSW London this week with director Jason James to discuss genre-mashing romcom-thriller-noir All Night Wrong which premiered at the festival.
Verb
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The mosquitoes came out in droves at night, just before bed, quelling our ambitions of stargazing or watching for the northern lights.
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Owens, who tried to reach third, was gunned down by left fielder Brendan Brock, quelling the early threat.
Verb
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Yet Marketplace Pulse research shows only 23% of sellers are growing revenue and improving margins at the same time; the rest are either grinding or distressed.
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The grinding process will leave a large mound of chips mixed with soil that will need to be removed and replaced with topsoil.
Verb
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Loss of this support, which is said to cover 25% of the center’s operating costs, would have been devastating both financially and reputationally.
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These giant invasive snakes are devastating the Everglades ecosystem by eating through the native food web without any natural predators to keep them in check.
Verb
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While the expiration of the enhanced ACA subsidies made insurance more expensive for millions of consumers, experts say other health costs, such as prescription drugs, medical tests and hospital bills, are also squeezing consumers.
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Labor, rent, insurance, utilities, equipment and packaging are all squeezing already-thin margins.
Verb
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This is an impressive chip, cramming nearly 100 billion transistors onto a piece of silicon roughly the size of a fingernail.
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The trip took 76 days, with van Dongen splitting time between hours on his bike and cramming into an RV in parks and towns around the country.
Verb
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People remained on the streets for hours, some sitting on the ground hugging pets as dust gathered around them.
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Up in the stands, the Weahs lost their minds, cheering and hugging everyone in sight, the famous George Weah included.
Cite this Entry
“Crushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushing. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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