1
as in saying
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
I'm trying to couch this delicately: I don't think we should date anymore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in crouching
to lie low with the limbs close to the body
I couched behind the partition so as to avoid an awkward situation with my ex
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 couching
Writers of autofiction have been accused of trying to preëmpt criticism by couching their work in self-awareness.
—
Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
After about half an hour of couching his fears in technical language and cautious caveats, the OpenAI CEO finally did.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
After about half an hour of couching his fears in technical language and cautious caveats, the OpenAI CEO finally did.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couching
Verb
-
The force and frequency of Iranian missile launches will increase, and their range will become wider, state media cited the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force as saying on Monday.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
No one’s comfortable saying that that pop music should be a bastion of the wealthy, but solutions to that are not free-market solutions.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There’s nothing quite as humbling as crouching next to a random airport outlet.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The 6-foot-3 Blackmon is crouching down to greet Mabel, who stood about 4-foot-7.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Another bangs his head against the wall after expressing suicidal thoughts.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Erin Stewart, a Republican candidate for governor and former mayor of New Britain, recently filmed a video in front of the Gravel Pit facility, expressing her opposition to the project.—
Mikayla Bunnell,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But everyone else stripped down to their bathing suits, huddling in the heated confines of a womb-like space.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
-
These are parks that come alive in the winter, with warm temps and surprisingly vibrant ecosystems that thrive when the rest of the country is huddling under a blanket of snow and ice.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But when the lens shifts toward the interior, articulating the woman’s private monologues, the attitude is softer and more generous, even when her words seem steeped in a sense of ongoing dread.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
-
If Beijing is articulating its asks, Washington should articulate its own, from clemency for Jimmy Lai to substantive and measurable cooperation on Ukraine.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Some residents blamed the flooding on clogged drainage systems, stating that city authorities ought to have prepared by ensuring there was functional drainage infrastructure ahead of the rainy season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
One part of the meetings was clearly stating to each player where the organization sees them; some are on the roster, some are competing for a spot, others are there to learn from the veterans and get valuable experience before heading back to the minor leagues to begin their season.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Proponents of prediction markets argue that putting financial stakes on outcomes leads to better forecasts than traditional methods.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
But putting together a basketball team only requires a few players.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Couching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couching. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
