crouched; crouching; crouches

intransitive verb

1
a
: to lower the body stance especially by bending the legs
The sprinter crouched and was ready to go.
b
: to lie close to the ground with the legs bent
… a pair of cats, crouching on the brink of a fight.Aldous Huxley
2
: to bend or bow servilely : cringe
3
: to stand at a low height
Cottages crouched along the river.

transitive verb

: to bow especially in humility or fear : bend
The dog crouched its head.
crouch noun

Examples of crouch in a Sentence

She crouched down, trying to get a closer look at the spider. The lion crouched in the tall grass, waiting to attack the gazelle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Within minutes we were crouched over fresh elephant tracks, the earth still damp. Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025 Joining the two this year is a 5-foot pussycat, which comes poised to pounce in a crouching position with adjustable glowing eyes. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025 This spring, my grandson crouched beside me to plant peas, 20 years after his father helped dig the first bed. The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025 In footage shared by the AP, the leopard was seen crouching on the ground next to the boy's vehicle before chasing the car and leaping at the window. Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crouch

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of crouch was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crouch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crouch. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

crouch

verb
: to stoop or bend low with the arms and legs close to the body
crouch noun

More from Merriam-Webster on crouch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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