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The word “crush” is versatile in English. Depending on context, “crush” can be a verb or a noun with several distinct meanings—from physical force to emotional attraction. Below, we break down the most common senses of “crush,” illustrated with clear examples and synonyms to help you understand and use the word accurately.

Crush—Romantic Infatuation

When “crush” refers to feelings, it describes a strong but often short-lived romantic attraction toward someone, typically without a formal relationship. This sense is informal and common in everyday English, especially among younger speakers.

Concise Meaning

• A strong feeling of attraction, affection, love, or admiration, which is usually temporary and often one-sided.

Example Sentences

• She has had a crush on her classmate since September.
• He finally told her he had a crush on her.

Synonyms: infatuation, admiration, puppy love, attraction.

Crush—Physical Force (Verb)

One of the primary meanings of “crush” as a verb is to apply pressure to something until it breaks, deforms, or loses shape.

Concise Meaning

• To squeeze, press, or compress something with force.

Example Sentences

• Please crush the cans before recycling them.
• She crushed the garlic with a mortar and pestle.

Synonyms: squeeze, mash, smash, pound, compress.

Crush—Grinding or Pulverizing

Closely related to the physical force sense, “crush” can specifically mean breaking something into small pieces or powder.

Example

• Crush the dried spices before adding them to the sauce.

Synonyms: grind, mill, pulverize, shred.

Crush—To Defeat or Overpower

In informal and formal English, “crush” can mean to defeat someone decisively or overwhelm an opponent.

Example Sentences

• Our team crushed the competition in the finals.
• The government moved quickly to crush the rebellion.

Synonyms: overpower, overwhelm, conquer, subdue.

Crush—Emotional Impact

“Crush” can describe the act of causing someone emotional pain or demoralization, such as disappointment or heartbreak.

Example

• He was crushed by the news of his promotion being declined.

Synonyms: devastate, demoralize, depress, shatter.

Crush—Crowd or Gathering (Noun)

As a noun, “crush” can denote a crowd of people tightly packed together, often making movement difficult.

Example Sentences

• We struggled through the crush of shoppers on Black Friday.
• There was a crush at the concert entrance.

Synonyms: crowd, throng, mob, jam, horde.

Other Specialized Uses

Crush as a Physical Act

Meaning

• The act of applying pressure to something so that it is flattened, broken, or loses its original shape.

Example

• Remove the jacket from the suitcase, or it will get crushed.

Synonyms by Sense

Common Collocations

• have a crush on (romantic)
• crush the competition (defeat)
• crush garlic (grind)
• crush into pieces (physical force)
• caught in the crush (crowd)

Etymology and Origin

Medieval Roots

The verb “crush” entered English in the late Middle Ages, around the end of the fourteenth century (circa 1398). It likely developed from Old French croissir, meaning to break or crack, with additional influence from Germanic verbs conveying forceful impact. In its earliest recorded uses, “crush” referred strictly to physical pressure, compression, or violent breaking.

First Romantic Record

The romantic sense of “crush,” referring to the object of strong personal attraction, first appears in an American context. The earliest known printed instance occurs in an 1884 journal entry by Isabella Maud Rittenhouse, where the word clearly denotes a loved person rather than an action or emotion:

“Wintie is weeping because her crush is gone.”

This quotation marks the earliest verifiable transition of “crush” into romantic vocabulary.

Shift to Emotional Meaning

Within the following decade, the word expanded from naming the admired person to describing mutual romantic feeling itself. An 1895 literary example shows this semantic shift clearly, where “crush” refers to shared infatuation rather than a single admirer:

“Miss Palfrey … consented to wear his bunch of blue violets. It was a ‘crush,’ you see, on both sides.”

This usage demonstrates how the term quickly generalized beyond its original personal reference.

Slang Influence Theory

One influential explanation for the rise of the romantic sense was proposed by linguist Eric Partridge, who suggested that “crush” may have developed as a variation of “mash.” By the 1870s, “mashed” was widely used to describe being flirtatious or romantically infatuated, and the verb “to mash” carried a meaning closely aligned with “to crush.” Expressions such as “to make a mash on someone” and the noun “masher,” referring to a persistent flirt, reflect a slang environment in which “crush” could naturally emerge as a parallel or replacement term.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the romantic meaning of “crush” originate?

The romantic sense of “crush,” meaning a person who is the object of strong emotional attraction, originated in the United States. All early documentary evidence places this usage in American English during the late nineteenth century, particularly in private writings and youth-centered social contexts.

What is the earliest recorded example of “crush” used romantically?

The earliest known printed record of “crush” in the romantic sense appears in an American diary entry dated November 22, 1884. In the published transcription of this diary, the author writes:

“Wintie is weeping because her crush is gone.”

This sentence clearly uses “crush” to refer to a loved person rather than to physical force or emotional distress, making it the earliest verifiable example of the modern romantic meaning.

How did the romantic meaning develop from earlier senses?

The romantic use developed as a metaphorical extension of the older idea of being overwhelmed or emotionally pressed. Strong attraction was conceptualized as an overpowering internal force. This development was reinforced by late-nineteenth-century American slang patterns, where terms related to emotional weakness or sentimental attachment were common in informal speech.

When did the romantic sense become widely used?

After its first appearance in the 1880s, the romantic sense of “crush” spread rapidly through American student culture and popular writing. By the early twentieth century, it had become a standard informal term for infatuation and remains widely used today.

Feeling, Love, Relationship

Last update: January 8, 2026 8:14 AM