crush 1 of 2

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

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2
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4
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

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

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
After scoring a crushing victory over Hezbollah in 2024, Israel is finding its ongoing campaign in Lebanon much more difficult, in large part due to its adoption of the war in Ukraine’s deadliest innovation. Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 30 Apr. 2026 Andy also feels the soul-crushing heat, getting lambasted for no one reading her stories before lining up an exclusive interview with a wealthy, reclusive philanthropist (Lucy Liu). Brian Truitt, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
But she was also consumed with her first crush, a tall, handsome boy named Nathan. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026 Her dad will be cool with it and so will her younger sister, who has a crush of her own on a girl. Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crush
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crush
Verb
  • Rather than let Suarez face Stanton a third time with a man on third and two outs after the Yankees slugger mashed a pair of doubles in his first two at bats, Red Sox manager Alex Cora opted for righty Zack Kelly, who forced Stanton to pop out to third.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
  • However, Byron Buxton mashed a two-run homer in the inning to cut it to a 3-2 lead.
    James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Nor has the admission that there were performance problems done much to quell rampant speculation that the company is running short of computing resources and that Anthropic’s efforts to ration precious computing power were the real reason for the performance issues.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Over the past few months, the pending consolidation sparked many fears, which David Ellison tried to quell.
    Mandalit del Barco, NPR, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The production, directed with the brooding fluidity that is David Cromer’s calling card, is most alive in the evolving dynamic between Nick and Jacki, whose romance happens by degrees then all at once before reality intervenes and the criminal justice bureaucracy grinds to a halt.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • And, over the weekend, that community showed up in the simplest way possible — side by side in a gym, grinding through a workout, and remembering the ones who didn’t make it home.
    Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • An abundance of candidates can overwhelm users and reduce the odds that an interaction turns into something meaningful.
    Charlotte Morabito, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026
  • LeClair explains that power surges damage appliances and electronic devices by overwhelming their internal electrical components with more voltage than they are designed to handle.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • When picking your own, avoid squeezing the berries.
    Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
  • That’s way too much time to squeeze into a mere 140 minutes.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • What takes years of planning for many restaurateurs is crammed into this tiny timeframe, complete with design choices, menu creation and shopping, and on top of that, an actual restaurant service.
    Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Hundreds of residents crammed into City Hall, filling multiple overflow rooms.
    Big Think, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • They were seen hugging at the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico in October 2023, strolling ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas in November 2024 and holding hands at the Grand Prix of Miami in 2025.
    Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Russini resigned from The Athletic earlier this month amid mounting criticism over her relationship with Vrabel, the New England Patriots’ head coach, after being photographed hugging and holding hands at a private resort in Sedona, Arizona.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The National Conflict Resolution Center has hosted this event for 38 years now, to recognize individuals and organizations working with passion and purpose toward a better future for all Americans.
    Steven P. Dinkin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Ducks fans expected the postseason and embraced it with a passion that rocked Honda Center during 12 playoff trips in a 15-season span, including two trips to the Stanley Cup Final and the 2007 championship.
    Todd Harmonson, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Crush.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crush. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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