munch

verb

ˈmənch 

munched; munching; munches

transitive verb

: to eat with a chewing action

… many a mouthful is munched in private …

—Washington Irving

also : to snack on

… drank coffee and munched homemade cookies …

—Lady Bird Johnson

intransitive verb

: to eat or chew something

also : snack

—usually used with on

muncher noun

Examples of munch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After more than a century of munching on her favorite foods of romaine lettuce and cactus fruit, beloved Galapagos tortoise Gramma, the oldest resident of the San Diego Zoo, has died. —Jaimie Ding, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025

After more than a century of munching on her favorite foods of romaine lettuce and cactus fruit, beloved Galápagos tortoise Gramma, the oldest resident of the San Diego Zoo, has died. —CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025

Vargas hesitated to say much more, but noted the effect the federal actions have had on business the past few days, sweeping her hands out toward the space normally filled with diners munching on croquettes, Cuban sandwiches and ropa vieja. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 19 Nov. 2025

In this section of the hike, as the trail ran parallel and relatively close to the paved State Park Road, a deer and fawn were spotted munching on the grass in an open field. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English monchen, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for munch

• brunch
• bunch
• chinch
• crunch
• hunch
• lunch
• punch
• keypunch

Kids Definition

munch

verb

ˈmənch 

: to eat with a chewing action

also : to snack on

munched popcorn and watched a movie

muncher noun

Biographical Definition

Munch 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈmᵫnch 

ˈmu̇nch

Charles 1891–1968 Alsatian-born conductor

Munch

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

ˈmu̇ŋk 

Edvard 1863–1944 Norwegian painter