To squish means to press or squeeze something so that it changes shape, usually making it flatter or smaller. When you accidentally squish a sandwich in your backpack, the bread gets compressed and the filling might ooze out the sides. If you squish clay between your fingers, it spreads and molds to fit the space. The word captures both the action and the soft, slightly messy result.

The word works as a noun too. That satisfying feeling when you step on autumn leaves and hear them crunch? That's sometimes called the squish of the leaves under your feet. When something makes a soft, wet sound as it compresses, that sound is also called a squish.

Things that squish well are usually soft, flexible, or squishy: marshmallows, mud, foam, ripe berries, or a stress ball. Hard objects like rocks or metal don't squish because they won't change shape when you press them. You might squish your face against a window to see outside or squish yourself into a crowded car seat between your siblings.

The word itself sounds like what it describes: soft, mushy, and a little bit silly.