scrunch

play

verb \ ˈskrənch , ˈskru̇nch \

Definition of scrunch

transitive verb

1 :crunch, crush

2 a :to draw or squeeze together tightly

b :crumple —often used with up

c :to cause (something, such as one's features) to draw together —usually used with up

intransitive verb

1 :to move with or make a crunching sound

2 :crouch, hunch; also :squeeze

See scrunch defined for English-language learners

See scrunch defined for kids

Examples of scrunch in a Sentence

I scrunched down in the chair.
I scrunched the fabric in my hand.

Recent Examples of scrunch from the Web

Then scrunch and separate individual curls to loosen the crunch.

— jessica cruel, SELF, "5 Ways You Should Be Using Dry Shampoo (But You're Not)," 30 Aug. 2017
Mannequins wore them scrunched down around their ankles.

— USA TODAY, "US Open fashion: Crystals, shapes and knee-high socks," 29 Aug. 2017
While others may be soaking up the sunnier months by scrunching, braiding, and sea salt–misting, Kim Kardashian West is dead set on celebrating the merits of poker-straight hair.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "Kim Kardashian West’s #FreeTheNipple Moment Is No Match for Her High-Gloss Hair," 2 Aug. 2017
Her face is elastic, twisting and scrunching to fit any mood.

— tim layden, SI.com, "Athlete gets cancer. Athlete fights cancer. Repeat, again and again...," 11 July 2017
The update makes no mention of how long drivers are stuck in traffic as multiple lanes are scrunched into one along southern and northern stretches of the project.

— joe marusak, charlotteobserver, "Here’s why drivers are stuck in nightly, blood pressure-raising I-77 traffic snarls," 3 July 2017
Some jackets were rendered off-kilter and otherworldly by tiny silhouettes that scrunched up the models’ torsos.

— thomas adamson, The Seattle Times, "Louis Vuitton channels escapism at sweltering Paris menswear," 22 June 2017
But the too-large jeans, scrunched together at the waist by a belt, seem less a function of fashion than necessity.

— alexander nazaryan, Newsweek, "The 'Artwashing' of America: The Battle for the Soul of Los Angeles Against Gentrification," 21 May 2017
The pictures are enlarged and distorted, scrunched or elongated, to fit the dimensions of vast walls.

— peter schjeldahl, The New Yorker, "Louise Lawler’s Beguiling Institutional Critique," 8 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scrunch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of scrunch

alteration of ¹crunch

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1790

See Words from the same year

scrunch Synonyms

Synonyms

crinkle, rumple, crumple, wrinkle

Antonyms

flatten, iron out, smooth, smoothen, uncrumple

Related Words

corrugate, crease, crimp, fold, pleat, pucker, ruck; crisp, ripple, ruffle; contract, furrow, knit; mess (up), muss (up)

Near Antonyms

even, iron, press, straighten; unfold; neaten, tidy

scrunch

noun

Definition of scrunch

:a crunching sound

First Known Use of scrunch

1857

SCRUNCH Defined for English Language Learners

scrunch

play

verb

Definition of scrunch for English Language Learners

: to make your body lower or shorter by bending your legs, making your back bend forward, lowering your head, etc.
: to tighten the muscles of (your face or nose)
: to put (several or many people or things) in a space that is too small