squash

verb

ˈskwäsh How to pronounce squash (audio)
Definition of squashnext
1
as in to mash
to cause to become a pulpy mass the sort of person who couldn't even squash a bug

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to quell
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

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 squash Once a seasonal delicacy, Jimmy’s sources squash blossoms ($25) year-round, stuffs them with ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano and lightly batters and fries them. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026 Instead of squashing a volume into an area, these universes seem to cram all the dimensions into a lone quantum point. — Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026 The grand jury findings attempt to explicitly clear the friends who left the island without Wells from any wrongdoing, including trying to squash several online rumors. — Sophie Bates, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026 These forces essentially squash the star horizontally while also stretching it vertically, a process called spaghettification. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for squash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squash
  1. mash
  2. quell
  3. crush
  4. suppress
  5. pulp
  6. subdue
  7. squeeze
  8. quash
Verb
  • Cody Bellinger has mashed Peralta in the past, going 6-for-14 against him.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Green Day influence, or maybe early ‘80s new wave mashed together.
    — Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of mash
Verb
  • The quiet moments of the offseason were eventually quelled by the madness of a young locker room, on a team replete with potential.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The French government has already promised 3,000 extra teachers in a bid to quell the unrest.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of quell
Verb
  • Dodgers three-peat dream dies Milwaukee completed a four-game sweep of the Dodgers with a crushing 6-4 win Thursday at Dodger Stadium.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Oregano, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper add a deeper savory element to the cream cheese base.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • Optional filters can be slotted in each module (when available) to suppress city lighting, adjust for solar imagery, and cater for different wavelengths.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But Uthmeier contends an overly broad reading of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause has been twisted into a tool to suppress Christians and other believers.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • As a result, these books might end up in a landfill, or, depending on their bindings, get broken down and pulped for recycling, or perhaps shredded.
    — Francesca Mancino, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
  • All remaining copies of the first printing were subsequently pulped in Britain.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of pulp
Verb
  • Two nurses helped subdue the actress, who was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The interplay between the vocal harmonies phasing from side to side is clear, though the upper melody sounds subdued during the track's busier sections.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • But in recent years, the shows have become money losers and the network TV business — faced with a decline in viewers that is squeezing profits — are cutting them loose.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • However, rising costs for housing, food, fuel and insurance coupled with cooling employment rends and the lowest consumer sentiment in a decade is squeezing discretionary spending.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • During the tenure of Viktor Orbán, news organizations in Hungary were largely brought to heel and critical reporting was quashed.
    — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This new paper highlights a number of topics where scientists might best fill the vacuum created by the White House’s report-quashing actions.
    — Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of quash

Browse Nearby Words

squarish
squash
squashed
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Cite this Entry

“Squash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squash. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on squash

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about squash

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