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
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6
as in cramming
to fit (people or things) into a tight space
the desperate refugees were crushed into the back of the truck
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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
Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
But the tale of the game would be those relief points, just crushing us on the glass.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
In each place, Democrats delivered crushing defeats to their Republican opponents.
—Jamelle Bouie, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
Many in the party blame him for their crushing electoral loss last November, and continued revelations about his health and mental fitness have plagued evaluations of his presidency.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025
Elucid and billy woods trade verses sniping the quick rise of artificial intelligence, memorializing their neighborhoods, and trying to slow the roll of soul-crushing news.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
Here, the dynamic is inverted, with Flambae helping Robert from crushing himself while bench-pressing without a spotter.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
The wave machine someone invented to simulate the oceans of Pandora risks crushing the actors to death under eight pounds of steel?
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
But crushing a competent Wake Forest team is several steps above that.
—Matt Baker, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
In three full seasons since that postseason run – which concluded quickly as a result of a crushing 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round – Murray has failed to post a winning season as a starter.
—Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
But the tale of the game would be those relief points, just crushing us on the glass.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
In each place, Democrats delivered crushing defeats to their Republican opponents.
—Jamelle Bouie, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
Many in the party blame him for their crushing electoral loss last November, and continued revelations about his health and mental fitness have plagued evaluations of his presidency.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025
Elucid and billy woods trade verses sniping the quick rise of artificial intelligence, memorializing their neighborhoods, and trying to slow the roll of soul-crushing news.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
Here, the dynamic is inverted, with Flambae helping Robert from crushing himself while bench-pressing without a spotter.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
The wave machine someone invented to simulate the oceans of Pandora risks crushing the actors to death under eight pounds of steel?
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
But crushing a competent Wake Forest team is several steps above that.
—Matt Baker, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crushing
Adjective
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Strand shares that the mere thought of replacing a roof shortly after moving in can be overwhelming for buyers and is often what leads to lower offers or buyers walking away all together.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
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The overwhelming majority of the students are economically disadvantaged and predominantly Hispanic, TEA data shows.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The two-time All-Star became the third player in Yankees history to record a 30-30 season after mashing 31 home runs and stealing 31 bases.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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In addition to hype surrounding the pie itself, shoppers are sharing their love for mashing a piece of the pumpkin pie in a cup of Costco soft serve ice cream (available in the food court) to make a do-it-yourself sundae.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Dec. 2025
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But the sentiment — quelling a craving, fueling a fervor, feeding the psychic hunger of a fanbase famished for reasons to celebrate ostentatiously — is applicable more broadly, too.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Downtown tunnel closures The rail grinding project will also be coordinated with the weekend closures of the Downtown subway tunnel to combine efforts in the area and reduce the impact on riders.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Marty Supreme follows a wildly gifted, unapologetically cocky aspiring table tennis superstar named Marty Mauser (Chalamet), grinding it in Lower Manhattan circa 1952.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Scenario two is that Harbaugh is leveraging the Giants’ rabid interest but ultimately could take a different job, devastating this desperate fan base.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Rubella, also called German measles, is mild in children but devastating to fetuses, causing deafness, heart defects and intellectual disabilities when pregnant women are infected.—
Jake Scott,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Bagail 6-piece Compression Packing Cube Set is just $19 and a game-changer for squeezing extra outfits into a carry-on.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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To check for ripeness, start by squeezing the fruit—ripe mangos should give slightly under pressure without feeling overly soft or mushy.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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More people and new developments are cramming into Florida’s last-remaining greenspace, Lindsey O’Donnell said.—
Abigail Hasebroock,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
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Tens of thousands of residents are living with relatives, cramming into rental apartments or living in public buildings.—
Aref Tufaha,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Harbour and Brown arrived together on the red carpet for the premiere of the latest season and were captured on camera laughing, hugging each other and posing for photos.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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Sweeney’s look played with proportions, with the leg-hugging footwear offsetting her oversized ensemble.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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