crushed

The word “crushed” means broken into small pieces by pressure or force. In plain terms, either physically pulverised, or emotionally devastated by disappointment or loss.

“Crushed” is pronounced kruhsht (/kɹʌʃt/ in IPA).

Here is “crushed” used in a sentence: “She added crushed ice to the cocktail.”

“Crushed” is an adjective.

“Crushed” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Crushed” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: broken into small pieces by pressure or force.

"Crushed" means broken into small, coarse pieces by pressure, so crushed red pepper still has visible flakes and texture. "Ground" means reduced to fine particles or powder by grinding. Recipes distinguish the two because coarse pieces release flavor differently from powder.

Yes — used figuratively, "crushed" means deeply upset or devastated, as in "she was crushed by the rejection." The image is of emotional weight pressing down on someone. It describes a much stronger reaction than "disappointed."

Crushed velvet is velvet whose pile has been pressed or twisted so that it lies in different directions, producing a shimmering, irregular pattern. The "crushed" refers to the deliberate flattening of the pile, not to damage. It is popular for evening wear and upholstery.

Both describe something deformed by pressure, but "crushed" typically implies breaking into small pieces or serious, often irreversible damage, as in "crushed ice" or "a crushed car," while "squashed" suggests flattening or squeezing something soft, like a squashed tomato. In figurative use, only "crushed" commonly describes devastated feelings.