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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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
Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran military, crush their ability to support terrorist proxies and deny them the ability to build a nuclear bomb. —Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026 The physical and mental toll of providing her son with a decent life, however, is crushing. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
The 2025 title was RCB's first, but the celebrations turned tragic when at least 11 people died in a deadly crowd crush at the team’s stadium. —ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026 By noon, much of the pressure on the TSA checkpoints at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood had been alleviated, with much smaller lines than the crush of travelers before sunrise. —David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 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
  • Instead of a normal merge vote, the Survivor tribes were mashed together — with a shocking 17 people left in the game — then randomly redistributed into three new groups.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
  • This - served with homemade mashed and carrots is very good.
    — Jenny Rosenstrach, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of mash
Verb
  • At a congressional hearing, a combative Bondi tried to quell the Epstein files controversy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The hearing At a congressional hearing, a combative Bondi tried to quell the Epstein files controversy.
    — Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of quell
Verb
  • With activity in the Strait of Hormuz grinding to a near halt, United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is predicting a sharp slowdown in global trade.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • What remains is a grinding war with no clear endpoint and no coherent strategy.
    — Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of grind
Verb
  • And its power overwhelms that kind of analogy.
    — Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
  • When used in large numbers, such drones could, in theory, overwhelm air defenses.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of overwhelm
Verb
  • Skiers and snowboarders trying to squeeze the last bits of winter fun from Colorado‘s meager snowpack will have one less option after this week, with Vail Resort set to close 11 days sooner than planned.
    — Katie Langford, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The disruption has not only sent fuel prices soaring, but has squeezed supplies of petrochemicals needed to make everyday items like shoes, clothing and plastic bags.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Her discography, which dates back to 2011, is crammed with unfrilly, relatable details that smack of being broke and twentysomething, like looking for a place to pee, or admitting her preferred coffee brand is still Chock full o’Nuts.
    — Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Spreading protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner also works better than cramming it into one meal.
    — Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of cram
Verb
  • The couple hugged, burying their faces in each other’s shoulders.
    — Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Bay Harbor consists of two islands hugging the Broad Causeway, which stretches just west of Bal Harbour to North Miami.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of hug
Noun
  • Both reflect a deep passion for a particular place—Johnson’s Middle Tennessee, Hiaasen’s South Florida—and a mixture of exasperation and grief at the destruction of the natural world to make room for megamansions and toxic waste dumps.
    — Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The hometown kid Displayed in his unbridled passion, Perry lives in the moment.
    — Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 4 Apr. 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 Apr. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of crush for Spanish Speakers

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