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

Relevance
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 Smudge, yank, squash and draw on photos to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces meant to be shared. — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 Turns out there is a rough correlation between the two, which implies that the Fed will have to add a full percentage point to rates in order to squash inflation. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026 More than 20,000 county residents signed a petition to bring the issue to voters in a ballot question in November, but the Maryland Supreme Court squashed it, citing legal problems with the question. — Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026 The results on Wednesday did nothing to squash the enthusiasm of bullish analysts and investors. — Mackenzie Sigalos,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 23 July 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
  • 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
  • After flooding the courtyard, crushing vehicles and destroying part of one of the surrounding buildings, the liquid flowed into the buildings’ lower floors, where workers were holding morning meetings.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Concerns about the software industry’s obsolescence fueled a massive sell-off earlier this year as investors bet AI agents would crush the sector’s business models.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • This isn’t a matter of suppressing your emotions, which research has proven doesn't work.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In one of the findings, bat houses — artificial roosts in urban environments, similar to nest boxes for birds — were doing their job helping to suppress pests on pecan farms in Texas.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • The biggest fear for people who want to see books preserved through the training process is that AI firms will callously pulp rare books that can never be replaced.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Mathieu Lewis-Rolland / Getty Images The tank was designed to hold 900,000 gallons of a hazardous chemical known as white liquor, a chemical brew that contains sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide and disodium carbonate and is used in the paper-pulping process, officials have said.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 31 May 2026
Definition of pulp
Verb
  • Called Defendu, the fighting technique with the knife was a combination of fierce aggression, speed, and strength to subdue an opponent as quickly as possible.
    — David Szondy August 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • When police officers in Oklahoma admitted to using electro-shock gloves to subdue two students over the 2025-2026 school year, the community was rightfully outraged.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of subdue
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
  • The Islamic Republic regime would go on to quash the pro-democracy protests in a brutal crackdown, which is believed to have left some 30,000 people dead.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Adams, who started off his term as mayor Citi Biking to meetings and promising hundreds of miles of new bike lanes, allowed top aide Ingrid Lewis-Martin to quash plans for bike-infrastructure improvements around the city.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of quash

Browse Nearby Words

squarish
squash
squashed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Squash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squash. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on squash

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about squash

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All