as in crouching
to lie low with the limbs close to the body
he hunched next to a bush to avoid being seen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of hunching
Poor Posture Poor posture, like slouching or hunching over a desk, puts constant stress on your muscles and joints.
—
Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2026
Leaning forward or hunching over the handrails—or grasping them too tightly—can reduce activation in your lower-body muscles.
—Christa Sgobba, Health, 7 Apr. 2026
And given its compact construction, only someone with a small build could navigate the passage by hunching over or shifting sideways, presenting an awkward picture.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
View gallery - 4 images Soldering frequently involves hunching in and squinting at the fiddly task at hand, or performing that task under an unmoving magnifying glass.
—New Atlas, 30 Jan. 2026
Your back hurts from hunching over your laptop.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
But my new favorite—thanks to the hype from none other than Taylor Swift—is the Forme Power Bra that ever so gently pulls back my constantly hunching shoulders, not just improving my posture, but also eliminating the upper back soreness that has long plagued me, both in my runs and in my life.
—Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024
Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 2026
Leaning forward or hunching over the handrails—or grasping them too tightly—can reduce activation in your lower-body muscles.
—Christa Sgobba, Health, 7 Apr. 2026
And given its compact construction, only someone with a small build could navigate the passage by hunching over or shifting sideways, presenting an awkward picture.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
View gallery - 4 images Soldering frequently involves hunching in and squinting at the fiddly task at hand, or performing that task under an unmoving magnifying glass.
—New Atlas, 30 Jan. 2026
Your back hurts from hunching over your laptop.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
But my new favorite—thanks to the hype from none other than Taylor Swift—is the Forme Power Bra that ever so gently pulls back my constantly hunching shoulders, not just improving my posture, but also eliminating the upper back soreness that has long plagued me, both in my runs and in my life.
—Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hunching
crouching
Verb
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During the Civil War, popular lithographs depicted Lincoln next to the crouching Black man, and army-camp photographers posed white Union soldiers beside Black men in a similar arrangement.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
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Another photo captures the soon-to-be bride and groom crouching down on the sand with their two pet dogs.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hunching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunching. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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