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
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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
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Recent Examples of crunch
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Or coat with a panko breadcrumb crust and fry to a golden crunch.
—Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2025
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 28 June 2025
The tectonic plates of global power politics crunched together at a new focal point in recent days as Russia and Azerbaijan insulted each other publicly with the world watching.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
The company is deep into a time crunch to get half of the more than 3,236 satellites of its Project Kuiper constellation into space before next year.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Or coat with a panko breadcrumb crust and fry to a golden crunch.
—Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2025
Verb
This tandem could work, with Wallace excelling at player relationships and Tenzer crunching numbers.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 28 June 2025
The tectonic plates of global power politics crunched together at a new focal point in recent days as Russia and Azerbaijan insulted each other publicly with the world watching.
—Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
-
California already faces some of the highest housing costs in the country and a shortage of construction workers.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
19 July 2025
-
Spain, to cite but one example, has a housing shortage and is currently considering levying a 100% tax on foreign buyers of real estate.—
William P. Barrett,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
Things happen, our heroes react, a potentially world-ending crisis is easily averted and everything is wrapped up in time for dinner.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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Yet this rift still coincides with a deepening fiscal crisis.—
Joël Té-Léssia Assoko,
semafor.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
Consider Alex’s final audition — a now-iconic sequence that collapses grit and glam into a single, pulsating montage.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
10 July 2025
-
Chelsea showed character and grit and were worthy of their victory.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
The person denied being responsible for the noose, police said, noting that due to a lack of eyewitnesses and legal probable cause, no charges are expected against the person, who will not be allowed to return for any type of stadium construction.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 July 2025
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And the Covid episode itself--when inflation hit 9% before the Fed finally began hiking dramatically--remains a major point of concern about the institution’s lack of intellectual diversity.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Now, Maineri heads into year 12 with 18 pitchers on his roster, hoping that rising junior Caleb Gilbert and sophomore-to-be Zach Hess will emerge at the top of the pitching rotation.—
John Roach,
NOLA.com,
19 July 2017
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Cal Fire representatives said the current parking mess has already impacted them because the driveway to their station enters the highway not far from the trail head.—
J. Harry Jones,
Ramona Sentinel,
19 July 2017
Verb
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For instance, if an AI agent is scraping a website or making a purchase, the system determines whether that action aligns with approved behavior.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
Using a spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and stir in any remaining uneven parts. Bake and cool.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 July 2025
Verb
-
Just bruises that faded — purple legs, arms, and scratches on my back.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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McVicker’s face is a painting with the energy of a neon sign, and Fast boasts a black cat sexiness that threatens to claw out of the screen and scratch you.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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