Clash vs. Crush — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 26, 2023
Clash means to conflict or come into disagreement, while crush can mean to press or squeeze with force or to be infatuated with someone.
Difference Between Clash and Crush
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Clash implies conflict or disagreement, often noisy or violent. Crush, in this context, means to overpower or subdue.
Clash suggests a loud, harsh noise, as in cymbals clashing. Crush doesn't typically relate to sound.
Clash is not used for emotions. Crush can mean an intense but usually short-lived infatuation.
To clash is to conflict. To crush can mean to press with force or to overwhelm emotionally.
Clash suggests discord or incompatibility. A crush can be an intense but often unexpressed romantic interest.
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
To conflict or come into disagreement
To press with force or have an infatuation
Usage in Context
Often used in conflicts or disagreements
Used for pressing, overwhelming, or infatuations
Relation to Sound
Implies a loud, harsh noise
Not typically related to sound
Emotional Aspect
Generally not used for emotions
Can denote a strong but fleeting affection
Verb Usage
To come into conflict or make a harsh noise
To press, squeeze, or overwhelm emotionally
Compare with Definitions
Clash
A conflict or disagreement.
Their opinions often clash.
Crush
An intense but usually brief infatuation.
She has a crush on her classmate.
Clash
A loud, harsh noise.
The cymbals clash during the concert.
Crush
To overwhelm or subdue completely.
The rebellion was crushed.
Clash
To be in opposition or contradiction.
Their schedules clash.
Crush
To break or grind into small pieces.
She crushed the spices.
Clash
To collide with a loud, harsh, usually metallic noise
Cymbals clashing.
Crush
To press between opposing bodies so as to break, compress, or injure
The falling rock crushed the car.
Clash
To meet in violent conflict
Armies that clashed on the plain.
Crush
To break, pound, or grind (stone or ore, for example) into small fragments or powder.
Clash
To be in opposition or disagreement
An eyewitness account that clashed with published reports.
Crush
To put down with force; subdue
The regime crushed the rebellion.
Clash
To create an unpleasant visual impression when placed together
Colors that clash.
Crush
To overwhelm or oppress severely
Spirits that had been crushed by rejection and failure.
Clash
To strike together with a loud, harsh, metallic noise.
Crush
To defeat overwhelmingly
Our team was crushed in the playoffs.
Clash
A loud, harsh noise, such as that made by two metal objects in collision.
Crush
To crumple or rumple
Crushed the freshly ironed shirt.
Clash
A violent conflict or confrontation.
Crush
To hug, especially with great force.
Clash
A disagreement or state of opposition
A clash of political ideologies.
Crush
To hit or propel with great force
A swing of the bat that crushed a fastball over the wall.
Clash
An incongruity or unpleasant juxtaposition of different colors or elements.
Crush
To press upon, shove, or crowd.
Clash
(onomatopoeia) A loud sound, like the crashing together of metal objects.
I heard a clash from the kitchen, and rushed in to find the cat had knocked over some pots and pans.
Crush
To extract or obtain by pressing or squeezing
Crush juice from a grape.
Clash
A skirmish, a hostile encounter.
Crush
To be or become crushed
Aluminum cans crush easily.
Clash
(sports) match; a game between two sides.
Crush
To proceed or move by crowding or pressing
The fans crushed forward to get a glimpse of the movie star.
Clash
An angry argument
Crush
The act of crushing or the pressure involved in crushing
Matter superheated by the crush of gravity around black holes.
Clash
Opposition; contradiction; such as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes etc.
Clash of beliefs
Culture clash
Crush
A great crowd
A crush of spectators.
Clash
A combination of garments that do not look good together, especially because of conflicting colours.
She was wearing a horrible clash of red and orange.
Crush
A substance prepared by or as if by crushing, especially a fruit drink
Orange crush.
Clash
(hurling) An instance of restarting the game after a "dead ball", where it is dropped between two opposing players, who can fight for possession.
Crush
A usually temporary infatuation
Had a crush on her friend's cousin.
Clash
(Scotland) Chatter; gossip; idle talk.
Crush
One who is the object of such an infatuation.
Clash
(intransitive) To make a clashing sound.
The cymbals clashed.
Crush
A violent collision or compression; a crash; destruction; ruin.
Clash
(transitive) To cause to make a clashing sound.
Crush
Violent pressure, as of a moving crowd.
Clash
To come into violent conflict.
Fans from opposing teams clashed on the streets after the game.
Crush
A violent crowding.
Clash
(intransitive) To argue angrily.
My parents often clashed about minor things, such as the cleaning or shopping rota.
Crush
A crowd that produces uncomfortable pressure.
A crush at a reception
Clash
To face each other in an important game.
Crush
(slang) A group or gang.
Clash
To fail to look good together; to contrast unattractively; to fail to harmonize.
You can't wear that shirt! It clashes with your trousers.
The hotel room was ugly, and the wallpaper clashed with the carpet.
Crush
A crowd control barrier.
Clash
To coincide, to happen at the same time, thereby rendering it impossible to attend all.
I can't come to your wedding because it clashes with a friend's funeral.
I wanted to take German, but it clashed with art on the timetable.
Crush
A drink made by squeezing the juice out of fruit.
Clash
To chatter or gossip.
Crush
(informal) An infatuation with somebody one is not dating.
I've had a huge crush on her since we met many years ago.
Clash
To make a noise by striking against something; to dash noisily together.
Crush
The human object of such infatuation or affection.
Clash
To meet in opposition; to act in a contrary direction; to come onto collision; to interfere.
However some of his interests might clash with those of the chief adjacent colony.
Crush
A standing stock or cage with movable sides used to restrain livestock for safe handling.
Clash
To strike noisily against or together.
Crush
(dated) A party or festive function.
Clash
A loud noise resulting from collision; a noisy collision of bodies; a collision.
The roll of cannon and clash of arms.
Crush
(Australia) The process of crushing cane to remove the raw sugar, or the season when this process takes place.
Clash
Opposition; contradiction; as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes, etc.
Clashes between popes and kings.
Crush
The situation where certain colors are so similar as to be hard to distinguish, either as a deliberate effect or as a limitation of a display.
Black crush; white crush
Clash
A loud resonant repeating noise;
He could hear the clang of distant bells
Crush
A paraphilia involving arousal from seeing things destroyed by crushing.
Clash
A state of conflict between persons
Crush
To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass.
To crush grapes
Clash
A state of conflict between colors;
Her dress was a disturbing clash of colors
Crush
To reduce to fine particles by pounding or grinding.
To crush quartz
Clash
A minor short-term fight
Crush
(figurative) To overwhelm by pressure or weight.
After the corruption scandal, the opposition crushed the ruling party in the elections
Clash
Crash together with violent impact;
The cars collided
Two meteors clashed
Crush
To do impressively well at (sports events; performances; interviews; etc.).
They had a gig recently at Madison Square—totally crushed it!
Clash
Be incompatible; be or come into conflict;
These colors clash
Crush
To oppress or grievously burden.
Clash
Disagree violently;
We clashed over the new farm policies
Crush
To overcome completely; to subdue totally.
The sultan's black guard crushed every resistance bloodily.
Clash
A violent encounter.
The armies clashed on the battlefield.
Crush
(intransitive) To be or become broken down or in, or pressed into a smaller volume or area, by external weight or force.
An eggshell crushes easily
Clash
A striking or noticeable difference.
Their styles clash.
Crush
To feel infatuation or unrequited love.
She's crushing on him.
Crush
To give a compressed or foreshortened appearance to.
Crush
To make certain colors so similar as to be hard to distinguish, either as a deliberate effect or as a limitation of a display.
My old TV set crushes the blacks when the brightness is lowered.
Crush
To press or bruise between two hard bodies; to squeeze, so as to destroy the natural shape or integrity of the parts, or to force together into a mass; as, to crush grapes.
Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut.
The ass . . . thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall.
Crush
To reduce to fine particles by pounding or grinding; to comminute; as, to crush quartz.
Crush
To overwhelm by pressure or weight; to beat or force down, as by an incumbent weight.
To crush the pillars which the pile sustain.
Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again.
Crush
To oppress or burden grievously.
Thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway.
Crush
To overcome completely; to subdue totally.
Speedily overtaking and crushing the rebels.
Crush
To subdue or overwhelm (a person) by argument or a cutting remark; to cause (a person) to feel chagrin or humiliation; to squelch.
Crush
To be or become broken down or in, or pressed into a smaller compass, by external weight or force; as, an eggshell crushes easily.
Crush
A violent collision or compression; a crash; destruction; ruin.
The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds.
Crush
Violent pressure, as of a crowd; a crowd which produced uncomfortable pressure; as, a crush at a reception.
Politics leave very little time for the bow window at White's in the day, or for the crush room of the opera at night.
Crush
Leather that has had its grain pattern accentuated
Crush
A dense crowd of people
Crush
Temporary love of an adolescent
Crush
The act of crushing
Crush
Come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority;
The government oppresses political activists
Crush
To compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition;
Crush an aluminum can
Squeeze a lemon
Crush
Come out better in a competition, race, or conflict;
Agassi beat Becker in the tennis championship
We beat the competition
Harvard defeated Yale in the last football game
Crush
Break into small pieces;
The car crushed the toy
Crush
Humiliate or depress completely;
She was crushed by his refusal of her invitation
The death of her son smashed her
Crush
Crush or bruise;
Jam a toe
Crush
Make ineffective;
Martin Luther King tried to break down racial discrimination
Crush
Become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure;
The plastic bottle crushed against the wall
Crush
To press or squeeze with force.
He crushed the can in his hand.
Crush
A dense crowd.
The concert was a total crush.
Common Curiosities
Can two colors clash?
Yes, if they are not harmonious together.
Is it common to use clash in a positive context?
Rarely, as it usually implies conflict.
Does clash have a musical application?
Yes, it can describe discordant sounds in music.
Can clash and crush be used interchangeably?
No, they have distinct meanings and contexts.
Can crush be used to describe sound?
Rarely, unless it's describing the sound of something being crushed.
Can crush be a noun?
Yes, referring to an infatuation or a dense crowd.
Is a crush always romantic?
Often, but it can also refer to an intense admiration.
Does clash always imply violence?
Not always; it can refer to any conflict or disagreement.
Can someone have a crush on a non-romantic idol?
Yes, crushes can be platonic or based on admiration.
Can a building be crushed?
Yes, especially under a significant force or impact.
Can crush be used in a competitive sense?
Yes, as in crushing the competition.
Is a crush always unrequited?
Not necessarily, but it often implies a lack of reciprocation.
Can ideas clash?
Yes, when they are in opposition or disagreement.
Is it possible for a discussion to clash?
Yes, if there are conflicting views or arguments.
Can clash be used in fashion?
Yes, to describe incompatible or contrasting styles.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
