squash

verb

ˈskwäsh How to pronounce squash (audio)
Definition of squashnext
1
as in to mash
to cause to become a pulpy mass the sort of person who couldn't even squash a bug

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to quell
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

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 squash Five-Spice Pumpkin Bread This Five-Spice Pumpkin Bread takes a bold twist on the traditional recipe with roasted Autumn Frost squash and a zesty five-spice powder instead of classic pumpkin spice. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2026 Add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to squash and break up squash with spoon until a saucy consistency. — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026 But police union’s last-minute campaign aims to squash the tax. — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 The high cost of borrowing has squashed the fixer-upper market too. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for squash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squash
  1. mash
  2. quell
  3. crush
  4. suppress
  5. pulp
  6. subdue
  7. squeeze
  8. quash
Verb
  • Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and carefully mash the squash with a potato masher.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Cody Bellinger has mashed Peralta in the past, going 6-for-14 against him.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of mash
Verb
  • Some areas have received enough rain to quell the risk for the rest of the season, while others probably need another soaking.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Trump is waging a campaign in the final moments of the midterm election to quell discontent among farmers, truckers and drivers exhausted by $4 gas and near-record diesel.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of quell
Verb
  • Fish die by being crushed, by asphyxiation, or by barotrauma—when fish surface quickly, things sometimes go pop.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Semiconductors have been crushed, down more than 15% this month.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • By failing to suppress a Democratic campaign ad about the scandal, the Republican Party is only calling more attention to the misuse of $10 million meant for Florida’s Medicaid program.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Critics say the changes could suppress overseas turnout; volunteers have responded with VoteBnB, matching voters with rides and places to stay near polling stations.
    — Branimir Pipal, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • As a result, these books might end up in a landfill, or, depending on their bindings, get broken down and pulped for recycling, or perhaps shredded.
    — Francesca Mancino, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
  • All remaining copies of the first printing were subsequently pulped in Britain.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of pulp
Verb
  • Having asserted their power, voters proved difficult to subdue again.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Police said officers used a less-lethal weapon to subdue Sims and take him into custody.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • For hungry Southerners trying to squeeze a meal into their lunch breaks, that’s a major blunder.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Push through the soles of your feet and squeeze your glutes to drive your hips upward.
    — Jenessa Connor, HEALTH, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • And, later, a midnight snack of lobster rolls, hot dogs, and pizzas certainly quashed any late-night cravings.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In the other, the department seeks to quash the subpoena and transfer that dispute to the Miami court.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of quash

Browse Nearby Words

squarish
squash
squashed
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Cite this Entry

“Squash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squash. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on squash

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about squash

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