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
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Recent Examples of crunch
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
26 June 2026
No enrichment needed Driven by the massive electricity demands of expanding data center hubs, the current energy crunch requires a continuous, reliable power supply that weather-dependent renewables like wind and solar simply cannot guarantee.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 June 2026
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
Griffin sat alongside mid-level employees, crunching numbers.
—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
Salting and draining the tomatoes prevents a watery filling, while the saltine crust adds a buttery, savory crunch that stays crisp under the juicy tomatoes.
—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
26 June 2026
No enrichment needed Driven by the massive electricity demands of expanding data center hubs, the current energy crunch requires a continuous, reliable power supply that weather-dependent renewables like wind and solar simply cannot guarantee.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 June 2026
Verb
Their most striking characteristic is their human-like teeth designed to crunch through crabs and mollusks.
—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
Griffin sat alongside mid-level employees, crunching numbers.
—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
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Despite the overwhelming demand for medical services and the shortage of supplies in Venezuela’s public health system, Domingo Luciani Hospital in the capital of Caracas coped with an influx of patients thanks to a flood of donations.
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With the rise in demand by retail users, compute providers are also facing significant shortages, raising their prices, and are rushing to develop more hardware.
Noun
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That helped resolve Europe’s emerging jet fuel crisis and Australia’s diesel shortage.
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The revelation about the IRS seizure comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over taxpayer funds used to fight the homelessness crisis.
Verb
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Showed toughness by gritting through ankle and knee injuries in the Final Four and title game.
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Then the coach known as the most impulsive man on an NFL sideline runs that stop sign, grits his teeth and breaks unbound into character.
Noun
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These areas often have awkward entrances and lack ventilation, which allows heat to build quickly.
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Nearly half acknowledged mental health issues, and 34% felt their lack of personal relationships was a factor that contributed to feeling purposeless.
Noun
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The Scorpio moon fills your head with future plans for creative expansion.
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Wilson joins a Bulls team that has signaled a full rebuild this summer, installing a new head coach and front office before the draft.
Verb
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But this adjustable Oxo measuring cup will save you time that would otherwise be spent scraping every last bit of peanut butter from the measuring cup.
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Colombia needed a 76th-minute goal from Crystal Palace standout Daniel Muñoz to scrape past the DRC, but that goal pushed the team into first place in the group.
Verb
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In April, when Rojas got news that his father had been rushed to the hospital, Roberts quickly took the decision on whether to play out of Rojas’ hands, scratching him from the lineup.
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New York scratched across two more runs in the 10th, taking advantage of another throwing error by Abreu after Rosario's sinking liner squirted out of his glove for an RBI single.
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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