crush 1 of 2

verb

ˈkrəsh How to pronounce crush (audio)
Definition of crushnext
1
as in to mash
to cause to become a pulpy mass dark-colored grapes that will be crushed to make red wine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to quell
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 to grind
to reduce to fine particles crushed the baby's medicine tablet and mixed it with applesauce

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4
as in to overwhelm
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 to squeeze
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 to cram
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 to hug
to put one's arms around and press tightly she tearfully crushed the child to her breast

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crush

2 of 2

noun

1
as in passion
a strong but often short-lived liking for another person fondly remembers the crush that she had on a boy one summer long ago

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in swarm
a great number of persons or creatures massed together the huge crush in the store must have far exceeded safety limits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun crush differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of crush are crowd, horde, mob, and throng. While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

When might crowd be a better fit than crush?

While the synonyms crowd and crush are close in meaning, crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

When is mob a more appropriate choice than crush?

The words mob and crush can be used in similar contexts, but mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

How do throng and horde relate to one another, in the sense of crush?

Both throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters
a horde of shoppers

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 crush
Verb
Trump and Rubio’s bold Venezuela oil pact could finally crush communism’s grip. — FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Amid the rubble around Bari Imam, Saida Tanvir, 50, was also given a reprieve of sorts, after her son Azeem Ahmed, 16, died while trying to block a bulldozer from crushing their roadside grocery store over the winter. — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
The cabbage wedge sits over a fluffy whip of tahini and labneh, all served beneath a crush of peanuts. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 The story takes on first crushes, school pressures, friendship conflicts, parental separation and loneliness. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crush
  1. mash
  2. quell
  3. grind
  4. overwhelm
  5. squeeze
  6. cram
  7. hug
  8. passion
Verb
  • But Toronto, at the very least, has room for an outfielder who can catch the ball, be a threat on the bases and mash some southpaws.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • It must also be mashed, distilled, and aged in the United States.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of mash
Verb
  • The break with Callaway was the first sign that Good Good’s attempts at quelling the crisis were not going well after Clark’s statement on social media Wednesday night.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Now, in Season 2, Issa is on the lookout for signs that her boyfriend is crushing on another housemate, while Anton and Paul Baker keep a watchful eye on one another, as much to quell further flirtation as to savor it.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of quell
Verb
  • The stock spent the fall of 2025 grinding higher along the rising 50-day, then broke into a completely different gear in the spring.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Finance ministers and central bank officials of G20 countries convene in Asheville, North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday as the US-Iran war grinds into its sixth month, raising inflation expectations and keeping energy prices elevated.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of grind
Verb
  • But the speed and scale of investment could also overwhelm the institutions needed to manage it.
    — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine possesses substantial counter-drone equipment, but the sheer volume of FPVs has the potential to overwhelm kinetic defenses.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of overwhelm
Verb
  • The Middle East war and the resulting shipping disruption through the Strait of Hormuz drove up global commodity costs, further squeezing Beijing's own appetite for commodity imports.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Independent designers, once a discovery engine, were being squeezed, while the biggest brands put more investment into their own stores, creating a dichotomy in experiences that Bron felt was palpable.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Still, every spare inch is crammed with more than 32 different kinds of orchids imported from around the world, including such beauties as the flame-like Epidendrum radicans and the rare Dimorphorchis lowii.
    — Leigh-Ann Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Aliens land in Johannesburg in 1982 seeking refuge, but instead they're crammed into an internment camp called District 9.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of cram
Verb
  • Hundreds of homes and businesses hugged the Trishuli River, which cuts a winding path through the Nepali Himalayas.
    — Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The donkey has a gentle demeanor, allowing 7-year-old Cole to hug her clumsily around her face.
    — Emily L. Mahoney, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of hug
Noun
  • Carly keeps taking her new passion further, apparently spending all her tuition money on shooting a music video and renting a venue for a live performance plus merch and catering.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Parton’s passion projects were wide-ranging, from literacy and graduation rates in her home state to bald eagle conservation to donations for the development of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of passion

Browse Nearby Words

cruses
crush
crushable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crush. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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