1
2
as in suppresses
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 grinds
to reduce to fine particles
crushed the baby's medicine tablet and mixed it with applesauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in overwhelms
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the terrible news of her death simply crushed the entire family
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
6
7
as in hugs
to put one's arms around and press tightly
she tearfully crushed the child to her breast
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in passions
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 swarms
a great number of persons or creatures massed together
the huge crush in the store must have far exceeded safety limits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of crushes
Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
While many of the Williams wannabes came from near and far, there were a few Caleb crushes in the crowd.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … HOUSTON HITS HARD – Steelers' playoff nightmare continues as Texans defense crushes Rodgers in rout.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Diaz leaving town crushes the Mets' bullpen going forward.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
And while many television shows about teenagers tend to focus on physical appearance, crushes, and drama, this series explores how the characters learn to embrace and use their own unique gifts, to work collaboratively, and solve problems that require critical thinking.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 8 Dec. 2025
Hays also crushes left-handed pitching.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025
McNulty briefly appeared as Vickie in season 4, playing a band geek who Hawke's Robin crushes on.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Nov. 2025
On the personal relationships side this season, Will is heavily implied to be gay and have feelings for Mike, while Robin crushes on a girl named Vickie (Amybeth McNulty) and starts bonding with her in the finale.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 19 Nov. 2025
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The young boy then has to navigate being 10 and being bullied, having crushes on girls, all while older siblings Yvette (Essence Atkins) and Marcus (Jason Weaver) cringe at the thought of him being at the same high school.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Learn what dating looks like in different cultures, witness the devastation when crushes go sideways, and enjoy the redemption when couples rediscover their spark and move forward.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Jan. 2026
Having harbored secret crushes on each other at the time, the two might get a second chance at romance as they are reunited years later when Tyler crosses paths with Bode.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2025
Pour yourself into your poetry, your crushes, your late-night brainstorms.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Nov. 2025
Bachelorette Preview Bullet Points • Taylor’s got some crushes.
—Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Licensed psychotherapist Lucas Saiter agreed that a decline in crushes is common in adulthood.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Fast forward, 20 years later, and Swift is not a little girl anymore, and her music isn’t about little girl crushes and worries.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
Layer on top of this the inescapable student-loan debt that crushes their spirit and bank accounts.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026
While many of the Williams wannabes came from near and far, there were a few Caleb crushes in the crowd.
—Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Continue reading … HOUSTON HITS HARD – Steelers' playoff nightmare continues as Texans defense crushes Rodgers in rout.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Diaz leaving town crushes the Mets' bullpen going forward.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
And while many television shows about teenagers tend to focus on physical appearance, crushes, and drama, this series explores how the characters learn to embrace and use their own unique gifts, to work collaboratively, and solve problems that require critical thinking.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 8 Dec. 2025
Hays also crushes left-handed pitching.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Dec. 2025
McNulty briefly appeared as Vickie in season 4, playing a band geek who Hawke's Robin crushes on.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Nov. 2025
On the personal relationships side this season, Will is heavily implied to be gay and have feelings for Mike, while Robin crushes on a girl named Vickie (Amybeth McNulty) and starts bonding with her in the finale.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 19 Nov. 2025
Noun
On the cusp of adolescence, Vincent starts questioning his identity, friendships and family, while experiencing his first crushes.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
The young boy then has to navigate being 10 and being bullied, having crushes on girls, all while older siblings Yvette (Essence Atkins) and Marcus (Jason Weaver) cringe at the thought of him being at the same high school.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Learn what dating looks like in different cultures, witness the devastation when crushes go sideways, and enjoy the redemption when couples rediscover their spark and move forward.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Jan. 2026
Having harbored secret crushes on each other at the time, the two might get a second chance at romance as they are reunited years later when Tyler crosses paths with Bode.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2025
Pour yourself into your poetry, your crushes, your late-night brainstorms.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Nov. 2025
Bachelorette Preview Bullet Points • Taylor’s got some crushes.
—Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Licensed psychotherapist Lucas Saiter agreed that a decline in crushes is common in adulthood.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Fast forward, 20 years later, and Swift is not a little girl anymore, and her music isn’t about little girl crushes and worries.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crushes
Verb
-
Cheaper pruners use a blade and anvil — essentially one sharp blade that mashes the branch against a flat surface.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This showstopper of a dessert mashes up the bold caffeinated flavors of classic tiramisu with the perfectly wobbly, creamy perfection of panna cotta.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The brain actively, but provisionally, suppresses the reward systems while in a time of plenty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
By failing to promote these women, the economy suppresses their earnings trajectory, which directly suppresses the income tax revenue required to service the debt.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the war grinds through another bitterly cold winter, Russian strikes hit an apartment block Wednesday on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
As the war grinds through another bitterly cold winter, Russian strikes hit an apartment block Wednesday on the outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people.—
Kamila Hrabchuk,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For the characters, the love itself overwhelms every other consideration of feeling.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
What overwhelms her isn’t the wedding itself, but the realization that her lifelong role as Lexi’s default person is about to shift.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
All this requires a lot of power, which puts a strain on the grid and squeezes local resources.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, in order to protect their identities, their words are read aloud during re-enactments by powerhouse actresses such as Emma Thompson (who squeezes herself beneath an axle) and Kate Dickie (performing, as the nurse, on all fours on Kenmure Street itself).—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tramon Mark scores 21 points, Matas Vokietaitis (22 points) tops 20 points for the first time in SEC play, and Dailyn Swain stuffs the stat sheet with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Unbeknownst to everyone else, Louise stuffs the turkey costumes with actual exploding meat guts meant to soak the audience in an effort to be released from school early.—
Lillian Brown,
Vulture,
20 Nov. 2023
Verb
-
The design hugs the ankle before relaxing into a gentle slouch through the leg.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Eagle-eyed fans recognized the image—in which Harry hugs his late mom—from his 2023 memoir, Spare.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Well, ballet and Belgian suds are both passions of Dan Guin, the dance company’s executive/co-artistic director.—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The year 2024 marked the last trading year before Anderson took on the big job at Dior in June 2025 and repositioned his namesake label the following month as a platform to showcase his love for heritage, craft and his personal passions.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crushes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushes. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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