1
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
a severe energy crunch that resulted in long lines at the gas pumps
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
a player who's always good in a crunch, like when we need a goal to win the soccer match
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of crunch
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
New & Noteworthy Garden Veggie Snacks is reimagining snack time with a bold new lineup made with avocado oil for a tastier, better-for-you crunch.
—Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Wendy Sheehan Donnell, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
Sumac slush crunched underfoot.
—Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
The squeals, heavy breathing, and tail thrashing of the headline attraction, the ominous pitter-patter of a chestburster scuttling across the floor, and the characteristic crunch of a chestburster smashing through an unfortunate ribcage are all integral to the extra-terrestrial horror.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
New & Noteworthy Garden Veggie Snacks is reimagining snack time with a bold new lineup made with avocado oil for a tastier, better-for-you crunch.
—Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Running both variants provides a clear first look at how the new Oryon cores stack up against the x86 competition in pure CPU-crunching throughput.
—Wendy Sheehan Donnell, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
Sumac slush crunched underfoot.
—Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
-
Recovering and processing that gas, instead of wasting it, could ease Iraq's chronic power shortages.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well, leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The revelation immediately erupted into a political crisis, with the head of prisons dismissed and Guatemalans threatening to protest.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
By August, Ars reported on cases where ChatGPT's sycophantic behavior had validated users' false beliefs to the point of causing mental health crises, and news of the aforementioned suicide lawsuit hit not long after.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As past and present collide — with U.S. Border Patrol agent Liz Bradley (Tripp) joining the pursuit — Hernán must rely on his cunning and grit to survive and find redemption.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Then there's seals, assuming these rods will extend through a rubber tire surface that gets covered in all kinds of mud, liquid and grit on a daily basis.—
Loz Blain
September 23,
New Atlas,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Other issues brought up at the meeting included ongoing construction, public safety and a lack of sufficient workforce housing.—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
17 Oct. 2025
-
D’Alleva Valas said the biggest barrier for women, though, isn’t a lack of knowledge.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Keith Pelley has had four months now to get a closer glimpse of the day-to-day operations of the Toronto Maple Leafs via close interactions with general manager Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
But Netflix head Bela Bajaria didn’t seem into it.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing berries against side of pot, until berries have completely broken down and juices have thickened to jamlike consistency (wooden spoon scraped across bottom should leave clear trail that doesn’t fill in), 10 to 12 minutes.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
-
To remove the pulp from the seeds, use a spoon or butter knife to scrape the pulp, separating it from the seeds, which may be discarded.—
Stephanie Ganz,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
An old rag leaves behind streaks and lint, and a sponge can be abrasive, scratching the glass surface.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The procedure prevents the cat from being able to extend their claws, and is usually done to prevent them from scratching people, other animals, or furniture.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share