squashes

verb

present tense third-person singular of squash
1
as in mashes
to cause to become a pulpy mass the sort of person who couldn't even squash a bug

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in quells
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 squashes Luckily, this deal squashes that qualm by knocking over $300 from the sticker shocker! — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 6 July 2026 Chicken, bacon, and ranch might as well be the holy trio that squashes all fights and satisfies every hangry complaint. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Mar. 2026 Calling the deal off also squashes a host of questions Netflix insiders had about how HBO and Netflix would realistically co-exist in the same company, another staffer said. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026 Jo Brand squashes one of hers, David Baddiel tries to eat his, while Rose Matafeo and Ed Gamble rip theirs to shreds and Katy Wix overestimates the naturalism of holding a hard hat under one arm for an extended period of time. — Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squashes
  1. mashes
  2. quells
  3. crushes
  4. suppresses
  5. squeezes
  6. subdues
  7. represses
Verb
  • Created by Chicago painter Nathaniel Mary Quinn, the image mashes up caricatures of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood into a glorious grotesquerie that channels the colorful glam-trash aesthetics of the band’s late-’70s phase.
    — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
  • The Nike Air Max Joga Bonito R9 mashes up the boot Ronaldo wore for the 1998 World Cup with the Air Max 95.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Definition of mashes
Verb
  • Newsom has not said if the newer version of the bill quells this concern.
    — Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026
  • One way Recover quells concerns is through proof-of-concept collections with supply chain partners.
    — Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of quells
Verb
  • Katie Ledecky crushes the world record in the 1,500 freestyle for her second gold medal at the world swimming championships in Barcelona, Spain.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • While this motion typically crushes or warps regular sneakers, these shoes bounce right back into their original shape, damage-free.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
Definition of crushes
Verb
  • As the left and right argue, the disproportionate influence of a select few suppresses the will of the majority.
    — Susan Ostermann, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Salt suppresses bitterness while sweetness softens the sour edges.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
Definition of suppresses
Verb
  • That not only squeezes consumers' budgets, but also hits businesses hard, especially those which are heavily dependent on fuel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • That not only squeezes consumers’ budgets, but also hits businesses hard, especially those that are heavily dependent on fuel.
    — Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of squeezes
Verb
  • In person, Huang subdues his ironic braggadocio with polite eye contact and rolling belly laughs at his own jokes.
    — Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • El Nino also subdues the hurricane season in the Atlantic because there is so much heat in the Pacific that outcompetes the Atlantic, Berardelli added.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Definition of subdues
Verb
  • Typically, bees stop laying eggs during the winter, or at least slow down activity, which represses mite activity.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
  • The portrait of a woman who represses and conceals a rape struck a chord as the #MeToo movement took off and put Trobisch on the map.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of represses

Browse Nearby Words

squashed
squashes
squashing
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Squashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squashes. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on squashes

Nglish: Translation of squashes for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All