hunched; hunching; hunches
1
2
: to thrust or bend (someone or something) over into a humped or crooked position
hunched his shoulders as he headed out into the storm
sat hunched over the table reading a map
kept his … body hunched slightly forward—
Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams1
: to thrust oneself forward
hunched along for a short spell of safe steps—T. B. Costain
T. B. Costain2
a
: to assume a bent or crooked posture
folded his hands on the table and hunched forward—Hugh MacLennan
Hugh MacLennan
b
: to draw oneself into a ball : curl up
hunch beneath the covers—Randall Jarrell
Randall Jarrell1
: an act or instance of pushing someone or something in a rough or careless manner : an act or instance of hunching (see hunch entry 1 sense transitive)
give him a good hunch with your foot—Abraham Tucker
Abraham Tucker2
3
: a strong intuitive feeling concerning especially a future event or result
had a hunch I would find you here
Examples of hunch in a Sentence
Verb
He hunched his shoulders as he headed out into the storm.
he hunched next to a bush to avoid being seen
Noun
My hunch is that the stock is going to go up in value.
“How did you know I'd be here?” “It was just a hunch.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Even when your workouts are balanced, lifting with poor form, such as letting your shoulders hunch during rows or squats, can ingrain postural dysfunction.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Our hunch was that when firm leadership discussed how to react to the Black Lives Matter protests, companies that already had DEI professionals with influential voices took stronger action.
—Donald T. Tomaskovic-Devey, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hunch
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Verb
He’s actually hunched over his typewriter (OF COURSE Joe writes on a typewriter) spilling his fantasies about a fictional alter-ego who exacts the bloody revenge that Joe no longer carries out.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Even when your workouts are balanced, lifting with poor form, such as letting your shoulders hunch during rows or squats, can ingrain postural dysfunction.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
Yet businesses launch offerings based on hunches, not evidence.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Our hunch was that when firm leadership discussed how to react to the Black Lives Matter protests, companies that already had DEI professionals with influential voices took stronger action.
—Donald T. Tomaskovic-Devey, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hunch
Cite this Entry
“Hunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunch. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hunch
1 of 2 verb1
: to push oneself forward by jerks
hunch nearer the fire
2
: to bend one's body into an arch or hump
were hunched over the table
3
: to draw up close together or into an arch
hunched my shoulders
hunch
2 of 2 noun2
: a strong feeling about what will happen : intuition
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