crunch

1 of 2

verb

crunched; crunching; crunches

intransitive verb

1
: to chew or press with a crushing noise
2
: to make one's way with a crushing noise

transitive verb

1
: to chew, press, or grind with a crunching sound
2
: process
especially : to perform mathematical computations on
crunch numbers
crunchable adjective

crunch

2 of 2

noun

plural crunches
1
a
: an act of crunching
ate the cracker in one crunch
b
: a sound made by crunching
The only sound was the crunch of leaves underfoot.
There was a rather loud crunch as I bit into the battered dumplings.Fraser Glen
c
: the quality of being crunchy : the tendency to make a crunching sound when chewed or pressed
… make sure you have protein, a carbohydrate and a vegetable. You have to have crunch, flavour, salty and sweet in one.Carla Grossetti
Texture is king in this salad, … with added crunch from toasted walnuts.Eleanor Maidment
2
: a tight or critical situation: such as
a
: a severe economic squeeze (as on credit)
b
: shortage
an energy crunch
a time crunch
c
: a critical point in the buildup of pressure between opposing elements : showdown
… the odd loss at Bankwest, combined with winning virtually nothing on the road, is going to come back to haunt them when the season reaches the crunch.Scott Pryde
3
: a conditioning exercise performed from a supine position by raising and lowering the upper torso without reaching a sitting position

Examples of crunch in a Sentence

Verb We could hear the truck's tires crunching along the gravel road. When she crunched the numbers, she found that the business's profits were actually much lower than the company had said. Noun the crunch of someone eating a carrot We could hear the crunch of the truck's tires on the gravel road. The crunch came when the computer stopped working.
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.
Verb
Use Numbeo to crunch the numbers, and remember to factor in any home country expenses (mortgage, credit card debt, cell phone plan, etc.) and savings. Cepee Tabibian, Contributor, CNBC, 7 Dec. 2024 The numbers were a bit easier to crunch because Swift only sold the book through her frequent retail partner Target, which made the book launch part of its Black Friday specials. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
The ring of glistening sanding sugar provides an additional glitzy crunch that makes these cookies stand out among the many at the holiday bake sale or cookie swap. Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024 In addition to Pamela's favorites, try topping each bowl with chili crunch, crème fraîche, or pickled peppers. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for crunch 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

alteration of craunch

First Known Use

Verb

1706, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of crunch was in 1706

Dictionary Entries Near crunch

Cite this Entry

“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crunch. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

crunch

1 of 2 verb
1
: to chew, press, or grind with a crushing noise
2
: to move with a crushing sound

crunch

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or sound of crunching
2
: crisis sense 3
the energy crunch
3
: an exercise done by lying on the back and rising up without reaching a sitting position by bending forward at the waist

More from Merriam-Webster on crunch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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