Quashed vs. Squashed — What's the Difference?

Suppressed or put an end to something.

Made insignificant or reduced in importance.

Set aside by judicial action.

Suppressed forcefully or quickly.

Rejected or dismissed authoritatively.

Overcome or put down, especially regarding resistance.

Annulled or voided, especially by legal authority.

Compressed into a smaller space.

Nullified, especially in a formal or bureaucratic context.

Pressed or crushed into a flat shape.

Quashed (foaled 1932) was a British-bred and British-trained racehorse, winner of The Oaks in 1935. For many years, the Verdict family was not accepted into the British Stud Book because Quashed's dam was effectively a half-bred and it was not until the 1960s era of the July Cup winner Lucasland that the family's merit persuaded the authorities to review their opinion about its eligibility.

To beat, squeeze, or press into a pulp or a flattened mass; crush.

To annul or put an end to (a court order, indictment, or court proceedings).

To put down or suppress; quash

To put down or suppress forcibly and completely

To silence or fluster, as with crushing words

To put an end to or destroy

To become crushed, flattened, or pulpy, as by pressure or impact.

Simple past tense and past participle of quash

To move with a splashing or sucking sound, as when walking through boggy ground.

The act or sound of squashing.

Something that has been squashed.

A crushed or crowded mass

(Sports) A game played on a four-walled court by two or four players who use long-handled rackets to hit a small rubber ball against the front wall, with play stopping if the ball bounces twice on the floor or does not reach the front wall after a stroke. Also called squash rackets.

Chiefly British A citrus-based soft drink.

With a squashing sound.

Squeezed until flattened, or until a pulp

Suppressed or silenced

Simple past tense and past participle of squash

That has been violently compressed;

In a social context, things like rumors, small disputes, or minor rebellions can be squashed, meaning they are suppressed or ended quickly.

To quash a decision means to officially nullify it, making it void and without legal effect.

Quashing typically has a more permanent, binding effect, especially in legal contexts, while squashing might be more temporary or informal.

Personal opinions can be metaphorically quashed if they are dismissed authoritatively and not considered in a decision-making process, though "squashed" might also be used informally in this sense.

Quashing is not typically used for physical objects; it's more about decisions or policies.

Squashing an argument implies forcefully ending it, often without addressing all concerns, effectively suppressing the discussion.

When a plan is squashed, it is stopped or disregarded, often abruptly and without formal procedures.

Quashing is typically more severe as it implies legal or authoritative finality, whereas squashing can be less formal and severe.

"Squashed" is not typically used for laws; instead, laws are repealed or overturned. "Squashed" might be informally used to describe suppressing activities under a law.

While commonly used in legal contexts, quashing can also apply to non-legal situations where a decision or policy is completely overturned or rejected.

In political contexts, quashing suggests shutting down opposition through official or legal means, whereas squashing might be used for informal or less severe suppression of dissent.

Quashing often involves a formal or legal authority, whereas squashing can occur with or without official authority.

The term is used in English-speaking legal contexts globally but may not translate directly in non-English legal systems.

Yes, a project can be quashed, meaning it is officially cancelled or halted by those in authority.

In casual usage, both terms might sometimes be used interchangeably to mean suppressing or ending something, but they generally carry different nuances.