as in overwhelming
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Dissimilar Words
1
2
as in quelling
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 grinding
to reduce to fine particles
crushed the baby's medicine tablet and mixed it with applesauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in devastating
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 squeezing
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 cramming
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 hugging
to put one's arms around and press tightly
she tearfully crushed the child to her breast
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crushing
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Even the laughs and smiles that Joe and Kate Keller issue are fleeting, a respite from the journey toward a more crushing reality.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Store them in one layer to avoid crushing, and keep them in cool, dry conditions in the fridge to hinder mold growth.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
Over the next decade or so, many of these trees will be coming down — landing across roads, snapping power lines, crushing cars and demolishing roofs, racking up hundreds of millions of dollars in insured claims.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
The evolutionary arms race A highly intelligent, 19-meter-long cephalopod actively hunting and crushing prey suggests that the Cretaceous evolutionary arms race wasn’t entirely dominated by vertebrates.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
There was nothing to smile about in Atlanta, the scene of the crime for a Knicks team that coughed up home-court advantage in Game 2, then fell into a 1-2 series deficit in its first-round playoff matchup in a crushing 109-108 loss to the Hawks on Thursday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Combined with their size, flexible arms and crushing beaks, these octopuses were likely highly adaptable predators.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
There is a scene in the big-budget biopic Michael that perfectly encapsulates Michael Jackson’s historically unfathomable fame and crushing, fragile psyche.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Yankees third baseman Amed Rosario wasted no time bringing them home, crushing a three-run home run clear over the Green Monster to put New York up 3-0.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
And that makes his collapse all the more crushing.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Even the laughs and smiles that Joe and Kate Keller issue are fleeting, a respite from the journey toward a more crushing reality.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
The goal, Hall’s second of the series, came with less than five minutes left in a wild and physical frame in which Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven knocked out Carolina defenseman Alexander Nikishin with a crushing hit and Ottawa forward Ridly Greig tried to run roughshod on the Canes.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Store them in one layer to avoid crushing, and keep them in cool, dry conditions in the fridge to hinder mold growth.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
Over the next decade or so, many of these trees will be coming down — landing across roads, snapping power lines, crushing cars and demolishing roofs, racking up hundreds of millions of dollars in insured claims.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
The evolutionary arms race A highly intelligent, 19-meter-long cephalopod actively hunting and crushing prey suggests that the Cretaceous evolutionary arms race wasn’t entirely dominated by vertebrates.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
There was nothing to smile about in Atlanta, the scene of the crime for a Knicks team that coughed up home-court advantage in Game 2, then fell into a 1-2 series deficit in its first-round playoff matchup in a crushing 109-108 loss to the Hawks on Thursday.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Combined with their size, flexible arms and crushing beaks, these octopuses were likely highly adaptable predators.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
There is a scene in the big-budget biopic Michael that perfectly encapsulates Michael Jackson’s historically unfathomable fame and crushing, fragile psyche.
—Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Yankees third baseman Amed Rosario wasted no time bringing them home, crushing a three-run home run clear over the Green Monster to put New York up 3-0.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crushing
Adjective
-
With overwhelming bipartisan support, Indiana enacted one of the most comprehensive state-level national security laws in the country.—
Joe Gebbia Sr,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The overwhelming consensus among economists is that the Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, will hold rates steady.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Often apologizing in between bites, Beard, 40, eats savagely with his hands, squeezing food and mashing it into his mouth.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Government forces brought reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, quelling the violence.—
Omar Albam,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
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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Their experiments confirmed that adding a single squirt of water to coffee beans before grinding can significantly reduce the static electric charge on the resulting grounds.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
-
This stock was a disaster from May 2025 through the November lows near $48, losing roughly half its value in a grinding downtrend.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
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Two tornadoes ripped through west Michigan on April 14, devastating a family dairy farm in Fenick, releasing hundreds of cows and leaving thousands without power.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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From truckers to commuters, gasoline prices are squeezing budgets across the country.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The university is scheduled to replace the turf in July, squeezing into a tight window of summer events.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Bring a lightweight coat with big pockets, and start cramming stuff into them.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
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Instead of using an oversized crock or cramming utensils into drawers and making a mess, try hanging them on the wall.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Kardashians reality star made her Paris runway debut at the Balenciaga Couture show in July 2022, alongside Nicole Kidman and Naomi Campbell in a body-hugging black dress.—
Emily Kirkpatrick,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Crushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crushing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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