1
2
as in suppressing
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
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Recent Examples of squashing
The decision marked the first time in tournament history that the final weeks of the college basketball season would not be played, squashing Atlanta’s plans to host the Final Four.
—
Shari Rudavsky, IndyStar, 27 Mar. 2026
The single marked the first collaboration between the two rappers, effectively squashing rumors of their feud.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
Jacob Ulibarri spent about six hours on New Year’s Day last year squashing hot spots where the Lachman fire had burned.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
TDEs generally occur when stars venture too close to the supermassive black holes that sit at the heart of large galaxies, resulting in the immense gravity of these cosmic titans simultaneously squashing the stellar body horizontally while stretching it vertically.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
He was immediately taken aback to learn that the process required first squashing the breast flat.
—Erik German, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Jaffe, who has studied 100-year-old families, said most families find compromises between letting the next generation take the reins and squashing their individuality.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
This reeks of corruption in service of squashing free speech.
—Simon Crerar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Shelton, 49, and Stefani, 56, are winding down from a busy 2025 together and will support each other through an even busier 2026, a Stefani source tells PEOPLE, squashing reports that the couple’s relationship has been strained.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Shari Rudavsky, IndyStar, 27 Mar. 2026
The single marked the first collaboration between the two rappers, effectively squashing rumors of their feud.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
Jacob Ulibarri spent about six hours on New Year’s Day last year squashing hot spots where the Lachman fire had burned.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
TDEs generally occur when stars venture too close to the supermassive black holes that sit at the heart of large galaxies, resulting in the immense gravity of these cosmic titans simultaneously squashing the stellar body horizontally while stretching it vertically.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
He was immediately taken aback to learn that the process required first squashing the breast flat.
—Erik German, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Jaffe, who has studied 100-year-old families, said most families find compromises between letting the next generation take the reins and squashing their individuality.
—Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
This reeks of corruption in service of squashing free speech.
—Simon Crerar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Shelton, 49, and Stefani, 56, are winding down from a busy 2025 together and will support each other through an even busier 2026, a Stefani source tells PEOPLE, squashing reports that the couple’s relationship has been strained.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squashing
Verb
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If the Red Sea remains closed, if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, then the global economy very quickly, within weeks, goes into recession and brings crushing stagflation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, the Dodgers’ clutch middle-of-the-order threat was able to toy with the Arizona Diamondbacks, crushing a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning to power a 3-2 victory and a 3-0 start to the season.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In this study, scientists determined that combining FAK-inhibiting drugs with immunotherapy and chemotherapy yielded the best results in mice in suppressing tumor growth, attracting tumor-fighting immune cells and extending survival.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Eggs Protein is more satiating than fat or carbohydrates, and your body absorbs protein from eggs particularly well, stimulating PYY and GLP-1, while suppressing ghrelin.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rice impressed last season, mashing 26 home runs and driving in 65 runs, but Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter thinks the 27-year-old is going to take it to a whole new level this season, boldly predicting Rice mashes 40 home runs this season.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2026
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The Tigers erased an 11-point halftime deficit in the third quarter, knotting the contest at 33-33 before running out of gas — just as Bama was mashing the pedal to the floor.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Government forces brought reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, quelling the violence.—
Omar Albam,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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In December, the Mouse House pledged to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and entered a three-year licensing agreement for allowing over 200 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters’ likenesses to be used in Sora, quelling some of the text-to-video app’s brushups with copyright law.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The videos have pulled back the curtain on ingredient shifts across some of the company’s most recognizable products — and a surging cocoa market that’s squeezing the entire candy industry.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Pios led 4-1 after a period and put the clamps down, methodically squeezing the clock and the Broncos’ hopes of a repeat title, a shift at a time.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Multiple officers were involved in subduing Guity and placing him in handcuffs, police said.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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People fed up with rolling blackouts have staged sporadic protests in recent days, banging pots and shouting slogans against the government, rare demonstrations in a country known for repressing dissent.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Mar. 2026
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The White House imposed sanctions on Larijani in January for his role in repressing nationwide protests in the country, which saw thousands killed in the violent government crackdown, rights group say.—
Yarden Segev,
NBC news,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Basij have long operated as a national paramilitary force under the command of Iran's Islamic theocratic rulers, playing a major role in violently quashing anti-government protests, including the unprecedented wave of unrest in January.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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Johnson will block a push by moderate House Republicans for a vote on renewing expiring Obamacare subsidies, quashing a last-ditch effort to head off a spike in insurance premiums.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squashing. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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