1
2
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
squashed any effort to reform the country's power structure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squashing
Jaffe, who has studied 100-year-old families, said most families find compromises between letting the next generation take the reins and squashing their individuality.
—
Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
This reeks of corruption in service of squashing free speech.
—Simon Crerar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Shelton, 49, and Stefani, 56, are winding down from a busy 2025 together and will support each other through an even busier 2026, a Stefani source tells PEOPLE, squashing reports that the couple’s relationship has been strained.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Moments of reconciliation — like YFN Lucci and Young Thug squashing their decade-long feud this fall — often make less noise.
—Janeé Bolden, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2025
The viral beverage is supposed to support hormone regulation during periods of chronic stress, giving you more energy, improving your sleep, and squashing food cravings.
—Jani Hall, Health, 8 Oct. 2025
By now, ChatGPT and most other LLMs have mitigated such attacks, not by squashing prompt injections, but rather by blocking the channels the prompt injections use to exfiltrate confidential information.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
With some of these storm-squashing factors set to lift in the next few weeks, as well as the usual swivel from storms spawning in the Atlantic to the much-closer Caribbean, some meteorologists worry that the worst is yet to come.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
But don’t just stand there and dither until the world gets around to squashing you like a bug.
—Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
This reeks of corruption in service of squashing free speech.
—Simon Crerar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Shelton, 49, and Stefani, 56, are winding down from a busy 2025 together and will support each other through an even busier 2026, a Stefani source tells PEOPLE, squashing reports that the couple’s relationship has been strained.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Moments of reconciliation — like YFN Lucci and Young Thug squashing their decade-long feud this fall — often make less noise.
—Janeé Bolden, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2025
The viral beverage is supposed to support hormone regulation during periods of chronic stress, giving you more energy, improving your sleep, and squashing food cravings.
—Jani Hall, Health, 8 Oct. 2025
By now, ChatGPT and most other LLMs have mitigated such attacks, not by squashing prompt injections, but rather by blocking the channels the prompt injections use to exfiltrate confidential information.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
With some of these storm-squashing factors set to lift in the next few weeks, as well as the usual swivel from storms spawning in the Atlantic to the much-closer Caribbean, some meteorologists worry that the worst is yet to come.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
But don’t just stand there and dither until the world gets around to squashing you like a bug.
—Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squashing
Verb
-
Amid the disorder, the regime turned to a familiar playbook of crushing dissent.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
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Homeowners association fees for people living in condominiums or other multi-unit dwellings have been increasing year after year — doubling one year only to go up again the next — and the effect is crushing.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The reduction in volatiles would limit volcanism by suppressing the formation of magma, providing a strong explanation for why the lunar far side contains so few maria.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Different weight loss methods Wave is taking a different approach to weight loss, targeting how the body burns fat rather than suppressing appetite.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For even more intense banana flavor, our Test Kitchen recommends roasting your bananas in their skins for 15 minutes in a 350ºF oven before peeling and mashing them.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Jan. 2026
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Nutrition experts recommend incorporating lentils into dishes such as pasta, soups, and salads, using them as a substitute for flour in baking, and mashing them into a dip or spread to enhance the nutritional quality of your diet.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Dec. 2025
-
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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The Real Measure of Success in 2026 Productivity in 2026 won’t be about squeezing more into your day.—
Luciana Paulise,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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This helps to prevent squeezing and mitigates friction on the feet for lasting comfort.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
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The past two months of mostly sideways churn within 3% of record highs for the S & P 500 has helped to rebalance the market, puncturing the aggressive sense of destiny around many AI plays, subduing some speculative misbehavior and allowing valuations to settle.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
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His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
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Despite these differences, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is resorting to a familiar playbook for repressing protests, blending a passing acknowledgement of his system’s shortcomings with maximum deflection and defiance.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Without a doubt, this is Trump quashing dissent.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
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O’Hare has recently been sued in his official capacity for allegedly quashing free speech in the commissioners’ court meetings.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squashing. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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