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

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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
Lower average car sales prices and a battery supply crunch weighed on revenues. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 Rising utility costs are worsening the affordability crunch facing millions of American families, who are facing sharply higher gasoline and diesel prices amid higher oil costs due to the war in Iran. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
Children shouted, amped up on sugar and adrenaline, while orange leaves crunched under their feet. — Isa Mudannayake, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 With so few ancient samples of dodo DNA surviving—and that which does exist having degraded over the centuries—the analytic and number-crunching power of AI is just what’s needed to fill in the genetic blanks. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 Oct. 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
  • The agreement comes as Hialeah continues to grapple with staffing shortages and difficulties retaining experienced emergency personnel.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The memory shortage also threatens to discourage PC builders from creating new desktops.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of shortage
Noun
  • Guichard Doré, a former adviser to President Jovenel Moïse, whose assassination in 2021 set off the current gang crisis, said Haitians are reaching a breaking point.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • By preparing for prolonged power disruptions, securing essential supplies, diversifying production and strengthening communications, the United States is seeking to reduce the risk that a major crisis could interrupt its ability to defend itself.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of crisis
Verb
  • And those options extend well beyond a binary choice between taking an opioid and gritting your teeth.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Russian drivers grit their teeth, endure the lines, and hope that government promises that the shortages will ease after the agricultural harvest season – a time of peak demand – are fulfilled.
    — Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of grit
Noun
  • One small disappointment was the lack of access to the loft in my deluxe studio, tucked so high under the shed roof that it was deemed unsafe to allow guests access by ladder.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Development within the rural boundary is limited to one home per five acres or one home per 10 acres, primarily because of the lack of water and sewer lines.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of lack
Noun
  • Pre-dinner, most passengers sip cocktails in Dolce Vita, and later, some head to Panorama Lounge for after-dinner liqueurs and live music.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The head of state arrived overnight Saturday following Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s surprise operation to remove Constitution Tribunal President Bogdan Swieczkowski and install an interim head of the court.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of head
Verb
  • That requires more than unverified content scraped from the open web.
    — Oliver Kharraz, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The Thunder were scraping the rotational barrel hard enough on Monday against the Phoenix Suns that rookie two-way Josh Dix played 10 straight minutes in the second half.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of scrape
Verb
  • For those who want to scratch an itch for golden age musical nostalgia, this sparkling yet empty production might suffice.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Two days later, my husband found the frame of my wheelchair dropped off on our doorstep, scratches across the front, two parts dangling.
    — Rebekah Taussig, Time, 28 Oct. 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 1 Nov. 2026.

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