crunching

present participle of crunch
as in scraping
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

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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 crunching Thus, qubits offer an exponential approach to crunching large amounts of data, which could help tackle problems that even the fastest supercomputers of today will take decades to solve. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 19 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 From the sounds of it, those are tough terms for the numbers-crunching Ellison to honor. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026 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 Hardly blinding by any means, crunching math slower than a grade school student on a hot Friday afternoon. — Mike McRae 22, New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2026 The former finance worker wrapped up his own aerospace career back in 2017, winding down from a three-decade career of crunching financial figures. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026 Greenspan was renowned for his formidable data-crunching capabilities, sharp reading of market psychology, and subtle, often elusive communication style. — CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunching
Verb
  • Finish by gently scraping off the wallpaper with a plastic paint scraper.
    — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 15 Oct. 2026
  • How so much original music, like Sahunta’s, got caught up in this scraping operation remains unclear.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Red flag The Dodgers still don’t know what to reasonably expect from Ohtani, gritting out the postseason despite discomfort in his left knee and right arm.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Showed toughness by gritting through ankle and knee injuries in the Final Four and title game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Test the plant’s health by lightly scratching the woody stems—healthy tissue beneath the bark will typically look green.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Well, then the sound of television writer Joe Wiseman clearing his throat over and over again might as well be Gilbert Gottfried’s laugh scratching against a chalkboard.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Crunching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunching. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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