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
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
18 June 2026
The 6-foot-7 forward got caught up in a roster crunch in terms of meaningful minutes, and saw action in only 31 games, leading to him spending time jockeying between Charlotte and Greensboro suiting up for the Swarm in the G League.
—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
At sea, celestial navigation, which came into its own in the late 1700s, requires algorithms to crunch the inputs from a sextant that allows mariners to determine their position on the surface of a sphere.
—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
Nuts Chopped nuts add a nice crunch to oatmeal.
—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
18 June 2026
The 6-foot-7 forward got caught up in a roster crunch in terms of meaningful minutes, and saw action in only 31 games, leading to him spending time jockeying between Charlotte and Greensboro suiting up for the Swarm in the G League.
—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2026
Verb
But analysts at Deutsche Bank drew a much more bullish conclusion while crunching the numbers in a different way.
—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
At sea, celestial navigation, which came into its own in the late 1700s, requires algorithms to crunch the inputs from a sextant that allows mariners to determine their position on the surface of a sphere.
—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
-
The Crimean peninsula has had periodic fuel shortages from Ukrainian strikes before, but the current crisis is the worst since its 2014 annexation.
-
Novelli said one of the reasons many kids in New Haven are still behind in reading is a shortage of pre-kindergarten education.
Noun
-
That helped resolve Europe’s emerging jet fuel crisis and Australia’s diesel shortage.
-
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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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.
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When my grandchildren were around recently, Marie was gritting her teeth because her nerves were so frayed.
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.
-
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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Most of the site has been cleaned and scraped, while the work at a nearby synagogue that suffered severe damage is just beginning.
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Her older brother, 9-year-old Charlie, climbs across the nearby jungle gym at a Prairie Village playground as her younger brother, 3-year-old Will, scrapes a stick through the mulch.
Verb
-
And these only scratch the surface of his accomplishments.
-
Even young raccoons can bite or scratch when frightened, and wild animals can carry parasites and diseases, says Rakestraw.
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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