crouching

present participle of crouch
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 crouching Bystander video captured the sound of at least seven shots and showed people crouching and running for cover. Michael R. Sisak, Fortune, 15 June 2026 Bystander video captured the sound of at least seven shots and showed people crouching and running for cover. Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026 What’s the big deal with tying laces, unless bending or crouching is a big inconvenience? Elaina Verhoff, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026 Seconds later, the same officer — now with his gun holstered — is captured on the camera crouching and clutching his left shoulder in pain. Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 11 June 2026 Spielberg was seen crouching next to a car kitted out as a Kansas City Police Department car. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026 Social media video showed dozens of terrified elementary schoolchildren crouching down outdoors as the ground beneath them swayed violently in the province of Davao Occidental. Kathleen Magramo, CNN Money, 8 June 2026 By Tuesday night, his livestream captured through a window in the building a woman rocking back and forth before crouching further down below the window. ABC News, 2 June 2026 Over the years, there’s been some confusion about the value of crouching down like a baseball catcher to limit your own height. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crouching
Verb
  • The group stopped for water and snacks every 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometers), huddling under a barn during one rainy stretch.
    ABC News, ABC News, 9 June 2026
  • The group stopped for water and snacks every 10 to 15 miles, huddling under a barn during one rainy stretch.
    Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • That’s because these are the muscles that most commonly become tight and painful with poor posture, creating a vicious cycle of even more slouching and hunching.
    Danielle Zickl, Health, 15 June 2026
  • Poor Posture Poor posture, like slouching or hunching over a desk, puts constant stress on your muscles and joints.
    Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Mahayahay Elementary School, located in the province of Davao Occidental, shared footage on social media showing frightened students squatting on the ground and then scurrying away when a canopy roof collapsed during the quake.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
  • Corvette, particularly, feels outside of it all, as a woman who dreams of being a designer herself but is currently squatting in a closed fast food chicken shop and being haunted by a boulder of debt (like, literally).
    ABC News, ABC News, 20 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Crouching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crouching. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.

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