crash 1 of 2

noun

Definition of crashnext
1
as in collision
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact the fiery crash of two jumbo jet airplanes in midair

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in collapse
a falling short of one's goals refused to be discouraged by the crash of her hairdressing business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in boom
a loud explosive sound the crash of cymbals

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in shock
a forceful coming together of two things a story about the crash of two alien cultures and the unfortunate consequences

Synonyms & Similar Words

crash

2 of 2

verb

ˈkrash How to pronounce crash (audio)
1
as in to smash
to cause to break with violence and much noise crashed the vase against the wall

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to bump
to come into usually forceful contact with something the speeding car crashed into the tree with horrifying results

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to die
to stop functioning my computer crashed yet again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to push
to force one's way fleeing animals crashed through the forest

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to fall
to go to a lower level especially abruptly sales of that phone have crashed since the competing version came out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to retire
slang to go to one's bed in order to sleep I'm so exhausted that I'm just going to crash as soon as we get home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to stay
slang to reside as a temporary guest I'm going to crash at my sister's apartment when I'm in New York

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 crash
Noun
In a news release shared Tuesday, October 20, LAPD detectives said that 29-year-old John Anthony Cardenas was arrested near his place of work in Carson following an investigation that spanned nearly a month after the deadly crash on September 30. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 In addition to a person in his car dying from injuries sustained in the crash, another passenger was severely hurt, the release said. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
In another post, Benson appeared to crash his bike either on or near a beach. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 The coach wanted players whose own assignments were not crashing the glass to help box out Charlotte’s rebounders. — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crash
  1. collision
  2. collapse
  3. boom
  4. shock
  5. smash
  6. bump
  7. die
  8. push
Noun
  • The collision comes months after Independence police tightened restrictions on high-speed pursuits after years of scrutiny over the department's driving practices.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • When a conjunction is probable, SSA/STC service providers alert the operators involved, who then decide whether to undertake a collision-avoidance maneuver.
    — David Zamora, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of collision
Noun
  • Mohamud also warned of a possible secondary collapse, as the collapsed building was leaning on its neighbor.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Spirit Airlines' ghost planes The problems with young retirements predate Spirit's collapse.
    — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapse
Noun
  • That last pandemic was accelerated by a boom in rail and steamship travel but was eventually quashed by advances in science.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Americans are broadly aware that the artificial intelligence boom depends on advanced semiconductors manufactured in Taiwan.
    — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of boom
Noun
  • The United States also has a uniquely large and diverse economy that is far less susceptible to shocks than many of its smaller peers.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Duncan says the initial shock usually fades after a round or two, and cycling back and forth multiple times yields better results.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of shock
Verb
  • Protests last week devolved into mayhem, with people setting fires, storming public buildings, smashing shop windows, looting and clashing with police.
    — ELITSA GADEVA, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting sneakers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city’s central Duomo square.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of smash
Verb
  • The character always bumped some people, and those feelings coalesced around Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The Capricorn Moon squares the Libra Sun, making one-on-one expectations bump against your need for comfort or personal space.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of bump
Verb
  • Kate Whiteman, the woman who first filed a lawsuit against the men, died in late 2025 at age 45 in Australia.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Rent played its first preview off-Broadway, at the New York Theatre Workshop, on January 25, 1996—the same day that Jonathan Larson, its 35-year-old composer and librettist, died suddenly at his home in Manhattan.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of die
Verb
  • Rather than chasing fancy titles or splashy paychecks throughout her career, she’s gravitated toward jobs that pushed her out of her comfort zone, forced her to take risks, and taught her to embrace a little chaos.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Meta Platforms, which is pushing its Muse AI agent, lost 7% after reporting stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell short.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of push

Browse Nearby Words

crapulous
crash
crashed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crash. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on crash

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crash

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All