as in crouching
to lie low with the limbs close to the body
he hunched next to a bush to avoid being seen
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Recent Examples of hunching
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
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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There’s nothing quite as humbling as crouching next to a random airport outlet.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The 6-foot-3 Blackmon is crouching down to greet Mabel, who stood about 4-foot-7.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hunching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunching. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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