crushing

ADJECTIVE

burdensome

Synonyms

STRONGEST

demanding difficult onerous oppressive taxing

WEAK

carking disturbing exacting exigent heavy irksome superincumbent tough trying wearing wearying weighty

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm easy trivial

WEAK

aiding helpful helping relieving unburdensome

ADJECTIVE

devastating

Synonyms

STRONG

biting

WEAK

caustic incisive

ADJECTIVE

dispiriting

Synonyms

STRONGEST

discouraging disheartening dismal

STRONG

demoralizing saddening

WEAK

cheerless gloomy joyless melancholy sad

ADJECTIVE

grinding

Synonyms

STRONG

crumbling crunching disintegrating eroding granulating grating milling powdering pulverizing rubbing scraping shivering smashing

WEAK

bone-crushing

ADJECTIVE

grueling

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arduous backbreaking brutal demanding excruciating exhausting fierce laborious punishing strenuous tiring torturous trying

WEAK

chastening fatiguing grinding hairy hard harsh heavy racking severe stiff

Antonyms

STRONGEST

easy effortless facile gentle kind trivial

ADJECTIVE

jarring

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bumpy disconcerting unsettling

STRONG

agitating rough shaking smashing staggering

WEAK

bouncy jerky jiggly jouncy jumpy rocky uneven wiggly wobbly

Antonyms

WEAK

firm smooth steady

ADJECTIVE

onerous

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arduous backbreaking burdensome cumbersome demanding difficult distressing excessive exhausting grueling harsh intolerable laborious oppressive painful rigorous severe strenuous taxing troublesome weighty

WEAK

austere embittering exacting exigent fatiguing formidable galling grave grinding hard headache heavy irksome merciless overpowering overtaxing plodding ponderous pressing responsible serious tiresome tiring toilsome vexatious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm easy effortless facile friendly gentle helpful mild nice simple trivial

WEAK

light

ADJECTIVE

overwhelming

Synonyms

STRONGEST

amazing astounding devastating mind-boggling staggering stunning vast

STRONG

exciting overcoming paralyzing shattering

WEAK

breathtaking eye-opening

ADJECTIVE

tight

Synonyms

STRONGEST

airtight fast short uncomfortable

WEAK

blind blocked bolted choking clumped cramping cutting fastened firm fixed hermetic hermetically sealed impenetrable impermeable impervious locked nailed obstructed padlocked pinching plugged proof secure shrunken shut skintight slammed smothering snapped sound stopped up tied tied-up watertight

Antonyms

STRONGEST

loose

WEAK

open slack unsealed

ADJECTIVE

tragic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appalling awful calamitous cataclysmic deadly deplorable destructive dire disastrous dreadful fatal fateful grievous grim harrowing heartbreaking miserable painful pathetic pitiful sad shocking terrible unfortunate

WEAK

adverse anguished deathly desolate doleful forlorn hapless heart-rending ill-fated ill-starred lamentable mournful pitiable ruinous sorrowful unhappy woeful wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

blessed calming cheerful comforting delightful encouraging excellent fortunate good great happy harmless healthful healthy hopeful joyful joyous life-giving lucky nice pleasant pleasing trivial unimportant wholesome wonderful worthwhile

WEAK

advantageous successful

ADJECTIVE

trenchant

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acerbic biting caustic incisive mordant penetrating pointed pungent salient unsparing

WEAK

acid acidulous acute astringent clear clear-cut crisp critical cutting distinct driving dynamic effective effectual emphatic energetic explicit forceful forcible graphic hurtful impressive intense keen piquant potent powerful razor-sharp salty sardonic sententious severe sharp significant strong tart to the point unequivocal vigorous weighty well-defined

Antonyms

STRONGEST

bland blunt calm dull gentle kind mild nice soothing stupid

WEAK

frivolous impotent weak

ADJECTIVE

weighty

Synonyms

STRONGEST

onerous

WEAK

backbreaking burdensome demanding exacting exigent grievous oppressive superincumbent taxing tough worrisome worrying

Antonyms

WEAK

easy facile inconsequential light small solvable thin trivial unimportant unsubstantial

NOUN

chagrin

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annoyance dismay disquiet embarrassment irritation

STRONG

balk blow discomfiture discomposure disgruntlement dissatisfaction fretfulness frustration humiliation letdown mortification peevishness shame spleen upset vexation

WEAK

ill humor

Antonyms

STRONGEST

comfort confidence happiness

STRONG

satisfaction

WEAK

delight gladness joy pleasure triumph

NOUN

destruction

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annihilation carnage elimination eradication extermination extinction loss massacre murder ruin slaughter

STRONG

abolition bane dissolving downfall end extinguishing extirpation havoc invalidation liquidation overthrow ravaging ruination sacking shattering slaying subjugation subversion undoing wreckage wrecking

WEAK

abolishing assassinating crashing disintegrating disrupting invalidating subverting

Antonyms

STRONG

creation

WEAK

building construction improvement reparation restoration

NOUN

grip

Synonyms

STRONGEST

constraint grasp restraint

STRONG

anchor brace catch cinch cincture clamp clamping clench clinch clutch coercion duress enclosing enclosure fastening fixing grapnel grapple gripe handclasp handgrip handhold handshake hold hook ligature lug purchase snatch squeeze strength tenure vise wrench

Antonyms

WEAK

release

NOUN

liquidation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

elimination eradication extinction slaughter

STRONG

abolition bane carnage dissolving downfall end extermination extinguishing extirpation havoc invalidation loss massacre murder obliteration overthrow ravaging ruin ruination sacking shattering slaying subjugation subversion undoing wreckage wrecking

WEAK

abolishing assassinating crashing disintegrating disrupting extinguishment invalidating subverting

Antonyms

STRONG

accomplishment building construction creation success

NOUN

obliteration

Synonyms

STRONG

abolition bane carnage dissolving downfall elimination end eradication extermination extinction extinguishing extirpation havoc invalidation liquidation loss massacre murder overthrow ravaging ruin ruination sacking shattering slaughter slaying subjugation subversion undoing wreckage wrecking

WEAK

abolishing assassinating crashing disintegrating disrupting extinguishment invalidating subverting

Antonyms

STRONG

accomplishment birth building construction creation success

NOUN

pressure

Synonyms

STRONGEST

burden squeeze strain strength stress tension

STRONG

compressing compression encumbrance heaviness load mass shear squeezing thrust

Antonyms

STRONGEST

relaxation

WEAK

ease facility peace

NOUN

purge

Synonyms

STRONGEST

coup evacuation expulsion extermination liquidation suppression

STRONG

abolition catharsis clarification cleaning cleanup disposal disposition ejection eradication excretion expurgation extirpation murder purification

WEAK

abstersion reign of terror witch hunt

Antonyms

STRONG

dirtying

WEAK

holding keeping maintenance

NOUN

ruination

Synonyms

STRONG

abolition annihilation bane carnage devastation dissolving downfall elimination end eradication extermination extinction extinguishing extirpation havoc invalidation liquidation loss massacre murder overthrow ravaging ruin sacking shattering slaughter slaying subjugation subversion undoing wrack wreck wreckage wrecking

WEAK

abolishing assassinating disintegrating disrupting invalidating subverting

Antonyms

STRONG

accomplishment birth building construction creation success

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The federal government was given the responsibility for putting down rebellions, which in practice meant crushing slave uprisings and resistance.

From Salon • May 14, 2026

Chip stocks have been crushing software, but investors have a way to bet on both.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

In front of a raucous and triumphant Villa Park on Thursday, the club reached the Europa League final with a crushing win over Nottingham Forest.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

A senior U.S. official said the blockade is demonstrably crushing Iran’s economy—it is straining to store its unsold oil—and sparked fresh outreach by the regime to Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

The sounds of the ice grinding and crushing, creaking and cracking, filled the cold, damp air all around them.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

crushing

Example Sentences

Related Words