scrunch

1
2
as in to crouch
to lie low with the limbs close to the body the climbers scrunched down on the leeward side of a large boulder and waited for the storm to pass

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to scrape
to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound scrunched loose gravel with every footstep

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 scrunch Kavya tugs on my arm, her nose is scrunched up, eyebrows discombobulated. Navdeep Singh Dhillon, Parents, 21 Aug. 2025 Her nose scrunches up like something smells bad in here. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 19 Aug. 2025 An image of his little face, scrunched in discomfort, but no sound coming from his little mouth, was instantly clear. Zoë Jones, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2025 GloRilla tapped into a too-cool-for-school uniform aesthetic at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, styling plaid with black peep-toe platform shoes and scrunched white socks. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for scrunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrunch
Verb
  • Of course Swift’s legion of devotees would scoff at the notion that their heroine was anything but a pop goddess, their very own Glinda the Good Witch sent to comfort with lyrical poetry and aid crumpled hearts.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Barkov crumpled to the ice during the team’s first full preseason practice after minor contact Thursday.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Video later showed a man climbing a staircase to a common area beside the building, scaling a wall and crouching on the rooftop.
    Stepheny Price , Alexandra Koch , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The dance began with Irwin crouched atop a Jeep suped up for safari, with the junior conservationist correspondingly decked in the head-to-toe khaki uniform made famous by his dad.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • To determine whether a branch is dead or just dormant, scrape some of the bark away.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Data from Revelio Labs, which scrapes professional networking sites like LinkedIn, show a gain of 60,000 jobs last month, mostly in healthcare and education.
    Danny Bakst, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Each human cell contains about two meters of DNA tightly folded in complex 3D structures.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025
  • This doesn’t just happen for balls rolling down hills, but for rain that pools into puddles, ponds, and lakes, for molecules that fold into a particular configuration, and even for electrons that cascade down into a stable or quasi-stable energy state.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Then there's seals, assuming these rods will extend through a rubber tire surface that gets covered in all kinds of mud, liquid and grit on a daily basis.
    Loz Blain September 23, New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2025
  • But to not be satisfied and still find ways to grit out some wins is a huge deal.
    Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The potatoes will have delicate skin that can be easily bruised or scratched, so handle them with care.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
  • But the Jaguars scratched and clawed their way back into the game thanks to a Devin Lloyd 99-yard interception return for a touchdown and Trevor Lawrence stumbling into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scrunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrunch. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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