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
At home, the Guard’s Basij volunteer arm brutally suppressed recent nationwide protests, establishing itself as the theocracy’s primary tool for squashing dissent.
—
Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 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
Moments of reconciliation — like YFN Lucci and Young Thug squashing their decade-long feud this fall — often make less noise.
—Janeé Bolden, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2025
The viral beverage is supposed to support hormone regulation during periods of chronic stress, giving you more energy, improving your sleep, and squashing food cravings.
—Jani Hall, Health, 8 Oct. 2025
By now, ChatGPT and most other LLMs have mitigated such attacks, not by squashing prompt injections, but rather by blocking the channels the prompt injections use to exfiltrate confidential information.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
With some of these storm-squashing factors set to lift in the next few weeks, as well as the usual swivel from storms spawning in the Atlantic to the much-closer Caribbean, some meteorologists worry that the worst is yet to come.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 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
Moments of reconciliation — like YFN Lucci and Young Thug squashing their decade-long feud this fall — often make less noise.
—Janeé Bolden, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2025
The viral beverage is supposed to support hormone regulation during periods of chronic stress, giving you more energy, improving your sleep, and squashing food cravings.
—Jani Hall, Health, 8 Oct. 2025
By now, ChatGPT and most other LLMs have mitigated such attacks, not by squashing prompt injections, but rather by blocking the channels the prompt injections use to exfiltrate confidential information.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
With some of these storm-squashing factors set to lift in the next few weeks, as well as the usual swivel from storms spawning in the Atlantic to the much-closer Caribbean, some meteorologists worry that the worst is yet to come.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squashing
Verb
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For a fraction of the cost of private colleges — and often far less than out-of-state public universities — CSU offers students a genuine opportunity to build skills, and increase lifetime earnings without crushing debt.—
Andrea Mays,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
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Watts on Tuesday also highlighted a September 2025 incident in which a worker suffered a crushing injury inside a tunnel after being pinned between two 4,000-foot pipes.—
Jessica Hill,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Florida is still showing a knack for suppressing shots but more high-danger chances are slipping past.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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Food manufacturers like PepsiCo are also contending with the impact of appetite-suppressing weight-loss drugs, which are hurting demand for snacks.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For even more intense banana flavor, our Test Kitchen recommends roasting your bananas in their skins for 15 minutes in a 350ºF oven before peeling and mashing them.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Jan. 2026
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Nutrition experts recommend incorporating lentils into dishes such as pasta, soups, and salads, using them as a substitute for flour in baking, and mashing them into a dip or spread to enhance the nutritional quality of your diet.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In a statement broadcast by state TV, a security force known for quelling unrest accused terrorists of targeting military and law enforcement bases over the past two nights.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
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This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The solar sector has been grappling with a prolonged price slump and oversupply, squeezing margins even as leading producers continue to add capacity.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
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For generations, Americans who wanted orange juice without the work of squeezing fresh fruit cracked open a can and watched a cylinder of frozen juice go ker-plunk into a pitcher.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 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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His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
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Despite these differences, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is resorting to a familiar playbook for repressing protests, blending a passing acknowledgement of his system’s shortcomings with maximum deflection and defiance.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Multiple business owners in South Beach have pushed for the relaxing of restrictions, saying past campaigns have achieved the city’s goal of quashing spring break but hurt their bottom line.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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Writers on the verge of cliché should quickly swerve before getting caught in its thought-quashing machine, and readers who come across it should write it off as canned, shopworn, and tired.—
Katie Kadue,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squashing. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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