crouch

verb

ˈkrau̇ch 

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

Synonyms of crouch

• huddle
• hunch
• squat

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

After his rep against defensive end Odafe Oweh, Tunsil grabbed his left arm and crouched in obvious pain. — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026

Those inside the room crouched down on the floor in the darkness, waiting for help for 30 minutes. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

The child folds over and crouches on the ground while the performance continues for several seconds. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026

Behind him, fans spotted Charlotte, wearing a striped top and crouching down in the sand. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 23 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for crouch

• bouche
• couch
• grouch
• ouch
• pouch
• slouch
• vouch

Kids Definition

crouch

verb

ˈkrau̇ch 

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

crouch noun