as in overwhelming
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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
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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
-
Consider the overwhelming scenes of thousands of Argentines in Mill Creek Park and the Crossroads Arts District on Monday night, the greeting for the English team at Swope Park and the Netherlands in Riverside and beyond.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
Her grief may be overwhelming and making her current situation even worse.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
More often, the series borrows from the overall feeling of Dippold’s inspirations, mashing up and remixing the obsessions of a lifelong horror fan.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
The mosquitoes came out in droves at night, just before bed, quelling our ambitions of stargazing or watching for the northern lights.—
John Bowe,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
The boys were grinding today, my goodness.—
Mark Anderson,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Antonelli had actually just managed to pass Russell on track on lap 61 before grinding to a halt a lap later.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
But Saeta, which has been outfitting the team since coming to its rescue after the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake, has been struggling to keep up with demands, creating an opening for designers and other vendors selling unofficial merchandise.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
County officials pointed to state budget cuts and a $276,000 drop in liquor revenue as factors squeezing finances.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
18 June 2026
-
Grip the handles on the sides of the machine, tighten your core, and extend your legs, squeezing your quadriceps (top thigh muscles) at the top.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
18 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
-
The train continues south to Christchurch, hugging the craggy coast.—
Steve Madgwick,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
-
His psychedelic paintings, sometimes painted in the style of Russian Orthodox icons, often depicted Putin with a bovine nose or hugging pigs.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushing. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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