as in huddling
to lie low with the limbs close to the body
the cat crouched in the bushes, waiting for the right moment to pounce on the chipmunk
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Recent Examples of crouching
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife advises those who come in contact with mountain lions to stay calm and remain still, never run or approach a lion and avoid crouching down or bending over.
—
Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2026
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
Borsutzki climbed out of the driver’s seat and sprinted toward the rupture in the road before crouching at the edge, a man pinned deep below crying out for help.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Cluely’s offices were in a generally disheveled corner of the city, crouching near an elevated freeway.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Nearly two dozen gunshots later, Palmer and Jones were dead, while London survived by crouching down in the backseat.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
There, detectives observed the men walking into an open space, crouching in nearby bushes and then fleeing the area at a high rate of speed in a vehicle, police said.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 29 Jan. 2026
According to the outlet, a witness claimed a group of people saw the snow leopard crouching from a distance.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2026
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
Borsutzki climbed out of the driver’s seat and sprinted toward the rupture in the road before crouching at the edge, a man pinned deep below crying out for help.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Cluely’s offices were in a generally disheveled corner of the city, crouching near an elevated freeway.
—Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Nearly two dozen gunshots later, Palmer and Jones were dead, while London survived by crouching down in the backseat.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
There, detectives observed the men walking into an open space, crouching in nearby bushes and then fleeing the area at a high rate of speed in a vehicle, police said.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 29 Jan. 2026
According to the outlet, a witness claimed a group of people saw the snow leopard crouching from a distance.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crouching
Verb
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Now, viral video footage of a group of dogs stranded on the side of a busy roadway in China has drawn plenty of comparisons to the story, showing a reminiscent group of household critters huddling together.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
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The final days of our ordeal blurred into a nightmare of torment, wandering while daylight lasted and huddling under open shelters at night, shaking with cold.—
Elwyn "Bud" Myers,
Outdoor Life,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And given its compact construction, only someone with a small build could navigate the passage by hunching over or shifting sideways, presenting an awkward picture.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
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View gallery - 4 images Soldering frequently involves hunching in and squinting at the fiddly task at hand, or performing that task under an unmoving magnifying glass.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ion has been squatting in the basement of an apartment building, which is set to be levelled to make way for a luxury hotel called the Kontinental Boutique.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Slate had a history of squatting in the building, threatening residents, and acting in an erratic fashion, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's office.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crouching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crouching. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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