Girlfriend vs. Crush — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 6, 2024
A girlfriend is a romantic partner with mutual affection and commitment, while a crush is a strong but usually temporary attraction to someone without mutual romantic acknowledgment.
Difference Between Girlfriend and Crush
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A girlfriend is someone who is officially in a romantic relationship with someone else, characterized by mutual affection and commitment. Whereas, a crush refers to a person one feels a strong attraction towards, often without any formal relationship or sometimes even the knowledge of the other person.
Engaging with a girlfriend typically involves emotional intimacy and shared activities as part of a defined relationship. On the other hand, interactions with a crush might be limited or imagined, based on the one-sided nature of most crushes.
Expectations and responsibilities are more defined in relationships with girlfriends, including mutual support and often plans for the future. Whereas, having a crush usually involves fewer expectations, primarily because the feelings may not be reciprocated or even known to the other person.
The emotional impact of a girlfriend can be profound and long-lasting, influencing personal growth and life decisions. In contrast, a crush might lead to temporary emotional highs and lows, depending largely on fantasies and infatuations.
Communication with a girlfriend is usually open, frequent, and involves deep conversations. In contrast, communication with a crush can be sporadic, nervous, or even non-existent if the crush is unaware of the admirer's feelings.
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Comparison Chart
Nature of Bond
Mutual and official romantic relationship
Often one-sided and not officially acknowledged
Emotional Depth
Deep and enduring
Can be intense but usually fleeting
Interaction
Regular and involves shared activities
Often limited or imagined
Expectations
Mutual support, companionship, and future plans
Minimal to none, based on personal feelings
Communication
Open, frequent, and intimate
Varies, can be minimal or idealized
Compare with Definitions
Girlfriend
A female partner in a steady, romantic relationship.
Mike and his girlfriend celebrated their second anniversary yesterday.
Crush
Implies a lack of intimate or deep relationship between the admirer and the object of affection.
His crush on the new singer is obvious to everyone but her.
Girlfriend
A person with whom one is romantically involved in a mutual and committed relationship.
John introduced Sarah as his girlfriend at the office party.
Crush
Usually not based on deep knowledge of the person, often idealized.
His crush developed just by seeing her smile during the conference.
Girlfriend
In modern contexts, can refer to significant others regardless of gender, with emphasis on the romantic aspect.
Alex's girlfriend is meeting his parents this weekend.
Crush
An intense but usually temporary infatuation with someone.
Julie has had a crush on her classmate since freshman year.
Girlfriend
Often used to denote a female romantic companion with expectations of loyalty and companionship.
His girlfriend helped him through his college exams.
Crush
Can refer to someone one admires from a distance, without personal interaction.
She has a crush on a movie star.
Girlfriend
The term also implies a level of public acknowledgment of the romantic relationship.
She has been his girlfriend since high school.
Crush
Often characterizes feelings of attraction that are not openly reciprocated or declared.
He kept his feelings a secret, maintaining his crush from afar.
Girlfriend
A female friend.
Crush
To press between opposing bodies so as to break, compress, or injure
The falling rock crushed the car.
Girlfriend
A female partner in an unmarried romantic relationship.
Marc went to the park with his girlfriend and watched the sunset with her.
Crush
To break, pound, or grind (stone or ore, for example) into small fragments or powder.
Girlfriend
A female friend.
Mary always enjoyed hanging out with her girlfriend Jessica.
Crush
To put down with force; subdue
The regime crushed the rebellion.
Girlfriend
A term of address for a female friend or among gay men.
Crush
To overwhelm or oppress severely
Spirits that had been crushed by rejection and failure.
Girlfriend
Any female friend; as, Mary and her girlfriend organized the party.
Crush
To defeat overwhelmingly
Our team was crushed in the playoffs.
Girlfriend
A girl or young woman with whom a man is romantically involved; as, his girlfriend kicked him out.
Crush
To crumple or rumple
Crushed the freshly ironed shirt.
Girlfriend
Any female friend;
Mary and her girlfriend organized the party
Crush
To hug, especially with great force.
Girlfriend
A girl or young woman with whom a man is romantically involved;
His girlfriend kicked him out
Crush
To hit or propel with great force
A swing of the bat that crushed a fastball over the wall.
Crush
To press upon, shove, or crowd.
Crush
To extract or obtain by pressing or squeezing
Crush juice from a grape.
Crush
To be or become crushed
Aluminum cans crush easily.
Crush
To proceed or move by crowding or pressing
The fans crushed forward to get a glimpse of the movie star.
Crush
The act of crushing or the pressure involved in crushing
Matter superheated by the crush of gravity around black holes.
Crush
A great crowd
A crush of spectators.
Crush
A substance prepared by or as if by crushing, especially a fruit drink
Orange crush.
Crush
A usually temporary infatuation
Had a crush on her friend's cousin.
Crush
One who is the object of such an infatuation.
Crush
A violent collision or compression; a crash; destruction; ruin.
Crush
Violent pressure, as of a moving crowd.
Crush
A violent crowding.
Crush
A crowd that produces uncomfortable pressure.
A crush at a reception
Crush
(slang) A group or gang.
Crush
A crowd control barrier.
Crush
A drink made by squeezing the juice out of fruit.
Crush
(informal) An infatuation with somebody one is not dating.
I've had a huge crush on her since we met many years ago.
Crush
The human object of such infatuation or affection.
Crush
A standing stock or cage with movable sides used to restrain livestock for safe handling.
Crush
(dated) A party or festive function.
Crush
(Australia) The process of crushing cane to remove the raw sugar, or the season when this process takes place.
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
Crush
A paraphilia involving arousal from seeing things destroyed by crushing.
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
Crush
To reduce to fine particles by pounding or grinding.
To crush quartz
Crush
(figurative) To overwhelm by pressure or weight.
After the corruption scandal, the opposition crushed the ruling party in the elections
Crush
To do impressively well at (sports events; performances; interviews; etc.).
They had a gig recently at Madison Square—totally crushed it!
Crush
To oppress or grievously burden.
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
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
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
Common Curiosities
What is a girlfriend?
A girlfriend is a committed romantic partner in a mutual relationship.
Can a crush become a girlfriend?
Yes, if mutual feelings develop and both parties agree to start a relationship.
What are the signs of having a crush?
Frequent thoughts about the person, a desire to impress them, and feeling happy when they are around.
What defines a crush?
A crush is a strong and often temporary attraction towards someone that may not be reciprocated.
Is it normal to have a crush while having a girlfriend?
It can happen; human feelings are complex, but what matters is how one manages these feelings responsibly.
Why do crushes feel so intense?
Crushes are fueled by idealization and fantasy, which can intensify emotional reactions.
What should you do if your crush knows about your feelings?
It depends on their response; if they reciprocate, it could lead to a relationship. If not, it may be best to move on.
How do you know if you have a crush?
You might feel nervous, excited, or overly interested in a person's actions and presence.
Can a crush be platonic?
Typically, crushes are romantic or physical in nature, but one can have a deep admiration for someone platonically.
What is the difference in commitment between a girlfriend and a crush?
A girlfriend involves a mutual commitment, while a crush may not involve any commitment.
How long does a crush last?
A crush can last for a few weeks to a few years, but it usually fades if not reciprocated.
How does having a girlfriend impact one’s life?
It can provide emotional support, companionship, and personal growth.
How to transition from having a crush to having a girlfriend?
This involves expressing feelings, mutual interest, and starting a romantic relationship.
Is it serious to call someone your girlfriend?
Yes, it generally signifies a committed and exclusive relationship.
Can both men and women have girlfriends?
Yes, the term girlfriend is used across genders and its orientations to denote a romantic partner.
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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.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
