Synonyms of crunch

crunch 1 of 2

noun

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

• shortage
• lack
• deficiency
• deficit
• scarcity
• drought
• pinch
• famine
• paucity
• absence
• poverty
• inadequacy
• dearth
• insufficiency
• failure
• undersupply
• lacuna
• scantiness
• scarceness
• inadequateness
• want
• omission
• necessity
• need
• meagerness
• privation
• poorness
• skimpiness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abundance
• plenty
• amplitude
• wealth
• sufficiency
• adequacy
• opulence
• plenitude
• surplus
• excess
• oversupply
• surfeit
• overabundance
• copiousness
• bountifulness

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

• crisis
• head
• crossroad(s)
• emergency
• situation
• crunch time
• extremity
• clutch
• breaking point
• boiling point
• flash point
• exigency
• point of no return
• juncture
• conjuncture
• moment of truth
• zero hour
• possibility
• Dunkirk
• predicament
• tinderbox
• milestone
• contingency
• climax
• pinch
• turning point
• condition
• corner
• happening
• impasse
• jam
• pass
• deadlock
• landmark
• hot water
• spot
• stalemate
• scrape
• fix
• last ditch
• last minute
• strait
• hole
• eleventh hour

crunch

2 of 2

verb

ˈkrənch 

as in to grit

to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound

I could hear the bicycle gears crunch as I shifted the derailleur

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grit
• scrape
• scratch
• grind
• creak
• groan
• gnash
• grate
• scrunch
• moan
• whine
• clash
• jar
• collide
• rasp
• jangle

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of crunch

Noun

The Valkyries were excellent in crunch-time offense against Atlanta, shooting 73 percent in the clutch in two close wins while the Dream made 33 percent of their field-goals in those situations. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2026

The Dream hosted six of their home games this season at State Farm Arena and all of them sold out, so with a playoff atmosphere there could be a similar crunch to get tickets. — Ajc Sports, AJC.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Verb

During its five-season run, there were plenty of crunching tackles, perfect spirals and last-second touchdowns by the Dillon Panthers. — Saul Austerlitz, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Plus, its eye-saver mode and flicker-free technology help reduce strain during long hours of crunching data. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing crunch

• crunch (on)
• crunch time