It is straightforward to think of Crush and Love as the same thing. Many people mistake Love for Crush and vice versa, and some use these terms interchangeably to show their affection and care for others.
However, Crush and Love are two related but distinct terms with spring differences.
Key Takeaways
- Crushes are short-lived, intense feelings of admiration for someone; love is a deeper, long-lasting emotional connection.
- Crushes can be based on superficial qualities or physical attraction; love involves appreciating a personโs self, including their flaws.
- Crushes can evolve into love over time but may also fade; love requires time, effort, and mutual understanding to develop and maintain.
Crush vs Love
The difference between Crush and Love is that Crush is a temporary outwardly feeling that lasts for a short time, while Love is a deep intense feeling enduring for a lifetime.

However, the above is not the only difference. A comparison between both the terms on specific parameters can shed light on subtle aspects:
Comparison Table
Parameter of Comparison | Crush | Love |
---|---|---|
Meaning | Crush is a feeling of liking someone | Love is a feeling of deep affection and care |
Is it easy to feel? | Yes | No, it may not be easy to realize as it is a feeling that gradually develops. |
Which comes first? | Ideally, Crush comes first. | Love may come later after Crush, but it does not always |
Is it selfish? | Yes | No |
Is it good or bad? | Innocent Crush is good but can turn into evil as soon as Crush is replaced by lust. | Love is like a behaviour of high moral standards everyone admires. |
What is Crush?
Crush is a temporary yet strong feeling of liking someone. A crush means a sense of romantic Love for someone. This someone is always a human being and a person of the opposite sex with some dynamic physical characteristics or special skills.
Crush can and happens with someone whom one doesnโt know well.
Crush develops very quickly upon seeing the other person, and another personโs outward appearance makes a strong impact. A crush can signal a burning desire to be with that attractive person.
Also, Crush wears out quickly as soon as the desire is fulfilled, or the other person loses the attractive unique attributes or is replaced by another person having better ones.
Crush may have happened to almost everyone in their life. For example, someone may have had a Crush on a beautiful girl in the college or a new handsome professor recently joining the campus.
Crush is primarily a feeling associated with people in their early teenage days.
Crush does not involve sacrifice, forgiveness, caring, or other emotions. The only thing in focus is the charming and attractive personality of another person.
A crush can lead to a wrong state of affairs, especially if one of the persons has any sinister tendencies.ย

What is Love?
Love means an intense feeling of deep affection. This fondness or care or compassion can be with anyone. Love can be with a newborn, parents or spouses, animals or in any interest.
Love can also be called an emotion. This happens when a person has strong feelings of tenderness or care for another person.
Love does not see a state of perfection in others; instead, it accepts others the way they are, whether good or bad, whether handsome, beautiful, or ugly.ย
Love is not something that can happen overnight. Love develops with interactions built over after getting acquainted with someone.
Love slowly evolves into an intensive deep soulful relationship. Love is like a seed sown which matures into a flower after a certain period.ย
Love is unconditional. Love does not expect any return, favour, or even Love from another person. Love only expects the other person to be happy and makes an effort in this pursuit to bring joy and happiness to the doors of the Loved ones.

Main Differences Between Crush and Love
- Crush is a short-term phenomenon and can come and go at any time. Love is a long-term state which binds people together for a lifetime.
- Crush does not involve patience, forgiveness, or understanding of another person. Loves denote a sense of caring, compassion, and forgiveness.
- A crush can be replaced with lust or other vices. Love stays intact as a Love without any evils.
- Crush happens to look at the attractive, sensual characteristics of another person. Love does not look at physical features; it doesnโt matter whether the person is good-looking or ugly.
- Crush is more of an infatuation. Love is a deep intense feeling touching the heart.
- A crush can be with only a human being and someone of the opposite sex. Love is a feeling of affection and trust in a human being, God, parents, children, animals, objects, or any specific interests.ย

- https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sbp/sbp/2004/00000032/00000002/art00007
- https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2878&context=westview
- https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=6368964

Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.