crunch 1 of 2

noun

Definition of crunchnext
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

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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

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crunch

2 of 2

verb

ˈkrənch How to pronounce crunch (audio)
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

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 crunch
Noun
Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Lemon poppy seed dressing offers a citrusy flavor and crunch from seeds. — Lauren O'Connor, HEALTH, 2 Sep. 2026 Turn and cook until eggs are set but vegetables still maintain some crunch, about 1 minute. — Beverly Kim, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
This is a 60-second test that asks the GPU to crunch a lot of polygons in order to tell us how adept the phone might be at gaming. — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 At the January couture shows in Paris, the look was epitomized by Lauren Sánchez Bezos and her devotion to an hourglass silhouette and toe-crunching heels. — Robin Givhan, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
  1. shortage
  2. crisis
  3. grit
  4. lack
  5. head
  6. scrape
  7. scratch
Noun
  • Supporters contend that change-resistant property owners in the Land of Steady Habits are simply trying to ignore the statewide shortage of new housing that isn’t McMansions or high-amenity, high-rent luxury apartments.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Ahead of the talks, Russia had ramped up its attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with relentless bombardments, exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of air defense systems.
    — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of shortage
Noun
  • The climate crisis is making certain types of extreme weather events both more frequent and more severe.
    — Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • State health authorities who have been fighting the opioid crisis for decades are still surprised by the drop, said Evan Gumas, a senior research associate at the Commonwealth Fund.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of crisis
Verb
  • Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But credit Skubal for gritting it out each time, keeping the Dodgers in those three games against the Chicago Cubs, the Kansas City Royals and Brewers.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of grit
Noun
  • This pilot is meant to address a gap the district saw in a lack of specialized personnel to provide prevention education, community engagement and intervention protocols for students using substances.
    — Morgan Matzen, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As a result, Japan finds itself in a precarious position, caught between a lack of locals to fill roles in the workforce and a distrust of immigrants who can provide labor.
    — Christine Miyawaki, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lack
Noun
  • Mayflies hovering around our heads were bound to attract bats, and bats creep me out.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Sunderland were, according to Transfermarkt, the division’s lowest spenders at £66million, but that lower turnover helped preserve the tactical identity implemented by head coach Regis Le Bris last season.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of head
Verb
  • The system should be programmed to actively penalize source monopolies, forcing the engine to scrape a healthy mix of technical journalism, independent community forums (like Reddit threads), and video transcripts.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The failure can expose metal from the wheel or other vehicle components, which can scrape against pavement and create sparks or intense heat.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of scrape
Verb
  • Sunderland, of course, spent heavily last season after coming up from the Championship, and there is a broad consensus that promoted teams need to do so to quickly bring their squads up to scratch.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The upstairs neighbors had two mastiffs who were left home all day and who barked incessantly and scratched at the floor of their kennel.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of scratch

Phrases Containing crunch

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crumps
crunch
crunched
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Cite this Entry

“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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