crushing
UK: ˈkrʌʃɪŋ | US: ˈkrʌʃɪŋ
adj. 1. causing overwhelming disappointment, humiliation, or defeat.
adj. 2. physically pressing or squeezing with great force.
v. (present participle of crush) 3. compressing or breaking something into small fragments.
The word crushing derives from the verb crush, which entered Middle English from Old French croissir (to gnash, crack, or break). The Old French term likely originated from Vulgar Latin cruscire, an onomatopoeic word mimicking the sound of grinding or crushing. The suffix -ing forms the present participle, indicating an ongoing action or state. Over time, crushing expanded metaphorically to describe emotional or psychological overwhelm (e.g., "a crushing defeat"), retaining its literal sense of physical force.
The machine delivered a crushing blow to the rocks, reducing them to gravel.
She felt crushing guilt after forgetting her friend's birthday.
The team suffered a crushing loss in the final minutes of the game.
His criticism was crushing, leaving her speechless.
The weight of the debris was crushing the trapped survivors.