crunches 1 of 2

plural of crunch

crunches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of crunch
as in scrapes
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 crunches
Noun
Many Asian countries, especially in South and Southeast Asia, that rely on Middle Eastern energy and fertilizer supplies, have faced fuel crunches and higher prices for household goods and food in the past three months. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 19 June 2026 However, crunches are not a comprehensive measure of core strength and may increase injury risk for some people. Christa Sgobba, Health, 11 June 2026 That’s continuing ongoing supply crunches of helium, fertilizer, natural gas and oil, the effects of which are still winding their way through the global economy and the worst may not be felt for weeks, even if traffic were to reopen today. Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026 If anything, the long-time executive knows that pending roster crunches often figure themselves out. Katie Woo, New York Times, 11 May 2026 The whistleblower claims that the museum improperly moved funds between various accounts in order to meet severe cash crunches. Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 29 Apr. 2026 In between glistening, shirtless crunches and sexy dalliances, Crown’s motives become clearer. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026 Small Dining and Kitchen Solutions Kitchens and dining areas are where space crunches hit hardest. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026 And if investing in equipment isn’t an option, bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups, lunges, crunches and planks engage multiple muscle groups and can be adapted for any fitness level. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
Each month, Edward Flores crunches the numbers. Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026 Energage administers an employee survey that covers 26 factors and then crunches the feedback data and scores companies based on the responses. San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025 The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), the nonpartisan budget watchdog that regularly crunches numbers on policy impacts on the $38 trillion national debt, included $50 billion as one estimate in a series of projections published in early November. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2025 Each year, Google crunches the numbers to identify the items that were highly searched, newly searched, or trending for a period of time from May to September. Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025 Nguyen Nik Bonitto shoves the Jets' left tackle back into Justin Fields and Zach Allen crunches him from the interior on that third-down floater. Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025 The website then crunches the numbers to see if your toilet paper stash will be enough to last the full length of the specified quarantine. Michael Dobuski, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunches
Noun
  • The same brain-drain has affected Venezuelan schools, which suffered serious teacher shortages before the earthquake.
    Max Saltman, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • For example, Schuetz hears complaints about the shortages of skilled labor, but the industry isn’t adopting process automation.
    Jennifer Castenson, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Famous fashion dolls Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) head to the Real World and deal with existential crises while things go goofily awry for the plastic folks in Barbie Land.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • New research reveals 80% of consumers learn about brand crises on social platforms, expecting swift, transparent engagement over traditional press releases.
    Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • 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.
    Anna Spoerre, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026
  • Every texture is an independent agent with its own membrane in the mix; percussion rubs and scrapes against your attention, while mutating synth patches burble in the periphery.
    H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • In terms of athletic forwards with size, this is a body type that the Spurs’ roster lacks in numbers.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 June 2026
  • Nothing beats a big package or a pipe to compensate for decorations, makeup, and other lacks.
    Joyce Mansour, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • How ‘The Ultimatum’ works The Ultimatum follows couples at a crossroads in their relationships.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026
  • American wine has never enjoyed greater global credibility, but the industry faces historic crossroads today, grappling with oversupply, declining consumption and growing uncertainty about its future.
    Anna Lee Iijima, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • 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.
    Michael Silver, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • One couple slept on the grass with umbrellas over their heads and just two thin blankets for cover on what turned out to be a cooler night than expected following a London heatwave where temperatures soared to 95 degrees.
    Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • Despite the lack of goals, the game was exciting with end-to-end runs and missed chances that left fans of both teams groaning and burying their heads in their hands.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Crunches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunches. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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