Squash: meaning, definitions and examples

Used generally to describe vegetables from the gourd family. In American English, often refers to types of squash like butternut or acorn.

• I'm making a roasted butternut squash soup for dinner.
• You can bake a squash whole and then season it.

Commonly used in American English to refer to the green summer squash vegetable. Often used in cooking and recipes.

• I love making zucchini bread in the summer.
• Grilled zucchini pairs well with many main dishes.

Commonly used in British English to refer to the vegetable known as zucchini in American English. Often used in culinary contexts and recipes.

• I added some grilled courgette to the salad.
• Courgette is a great low-calorie vegetable for stir-fries.

Refers specifically to the large, round, orange vegetable often associated with Halloween and pumpkin pie. Often used in contexts related to fall, holidays, and cooking.

• We carved a pumpkin for Halloween.
• Pumpkin pie is a traditional Thanksgiving dessert.

Squash is typically used when referring to the sport played in an indoor court where players hit a small, rubber ball against a wall using a racket. It can also mean pressing or crushing something. However, when discussing the sport, it’s the appropriate term.

• He enjoys playing squash on weekends.
• Be careful not to squash the sandwich in your bag.

Racquetball is a sport similar to squash but played with a larger ball and a different set of rules and equipment. It's important to differentiate between the two sports as they have distinct playing styles and gear.

• She signed up for a racquetball tournament at the gym.
• His favorite pastime is playing racquetball with friends.

Use when something is being forcefully pushed or pressed into a smaller shape, typically related to something soft or fragile.

• She accidentally squashed the ripe tomato while packing the groceries.
• The child squashed the clay into a flat shape.

Applied when something is being made flat or level, often used in construction or cooking contexts.

• You need to flatten the dough before cutting out the cookies.
• The bulldozer will flatten the ground for construction.

Used when referring to something being destroyed or broken into smaller pieces by applying great force. It often has a negative connotation.

• The car got crushed in the accident.
• I heard a loud noise as he crushed the aluminum can with his foot.

Appropriate for situations where something is being made smaller or pressed tightly together, often for efficiency or storage. Commonly used in technical or medical contexts.

• You need to compress the files before emailing them.
• The doctor advised to compress the ice pack against the injury.