as in overwhelming
Related Words
Relevance
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
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 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
Simeon Tegel, NPR, 6 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, 5 June 2026
Wie West opened her round with a flourish, crushing her tee shot 293 yards down the left side.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Fresh off crushing a home run, this athlete sprinted straight onto a running track still in uniform … just in time for another race.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 4 June 2026
From all directions at once, the butchers were crushing toward the exits, holding their boning knives and cleavers aloft.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Even with the World Cup expanding from 32 to 48 sides, China’s hopes were shattered after a crushing 1-0 defeat to Indonesia last June.
—Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Chasing Hokies reliever Madden Clement with no outs in the ninth, Mulivai Levu began the three-run rally at Jackie Robinson Stadium by crushing his 18th homer of the season to right.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 31 May 2026
That late-game run––forty-four points to the Cavs’ eleven––was as soul-crushing to Cleveland as the apparition of Willis Reed, hobbling to center court, had been to the Lakers fifty-six years ago.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 30 May 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
That legacy includes crushing both hyperinflation and the Maoist insurgents of the Shining Path, who bathed Peru in blood in the 1980s and 1990s.
—Simeon Tegel, NPR, 6 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, 5 June 2026
Wie West opened her round with a flourish, crushing her tee shot 293 yards down the left side.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Fresh off crushing a home run, this athlete sprinted straight onto a running track still in uniform … just in time for another race.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 4 June 2026
From all directions at once, the butchers were crushing toward the exits, holding their boning knives and cleavers aloft.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Even with the World Cup expanding from 32 to 48 sides, China’s hopes were shattered after a crushing 1-0 defeat to Indonesia last June.
—Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Chasing Hokies reliever Madden Clement with no outs in the ninth, Mulivai Levu began the three-run rally at Jackie Robinson Stadium by crushing his 18th homer of the season to right.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 31 May 2026
That late-game run––forty-four points to the Cavs’ eleven––was as soul-crushing to Cleveland as the apparition of Willis Reed, hobbling to center court, had been to the Lakers fifty-six years ago.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crushing
Adjective
-
From there, experimenting with one new ingredient per week — farro, barley, artichokes — makes the transition feel manageable rather than overwhelming.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 June 2026
-
The case exposes a flood of cheaply made, often fraudulent AI tracks on major streaming platforms, siphoning royalties, overwhelming detection systems and blurring the line between fan remix and scam.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
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.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
-
The 20-year-old infielder is also capable of mashing against both right- and left-handed pitching.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Owens, who tried to reach third, was gunned down by left fielder Brendan Brock, quelling the early threat.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
-
Also quelling demand is China’s pivot toward producing chemicals from raw materials like coal instead of oil, according to analysts.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
If the story of the past two years was one of slow, grinding forward progress for Russia,the story of this year is very different.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
-
Nine crucial years of expansion and solidification of the pernicious institution went by, speeding the nation’s road toward a grinding war.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
The carp have already shifted Mississippi River ecosystems by crowding out native fish, devastating some areas.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Lightweight enough to toss into a carry-on, these slippers still have a durable sole, meaning quick trips to the airplane bathroom or hotel hallway don’t require squeezing back into shoes.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
-
Americans are reeling from a cost-of-living crisis that’s squeezing even the biggest earners in the country.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
At their core, Rush were always about glorious musical excess, routinely cramming more riffs and time signatures into single songs than some bands managed on entire albums.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
10 June 2026
-
The two stayed up late into the night Monday, cramming information on each candidate.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Rendered in a soft buttercream hue, the dress featured a high neckline and an elegant swing silhouette that skimmed the body rather than hugging it.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
-
Ground-hugging plants can be pruned around the outer edges.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushing. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
