scrunched

past tense of scrunch
1
2
as in crouched
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 scraped
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 scrunched Sheppard won’t have as scrunched a floor to run the offense. Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 The cast scrunched out easily, leaving curls soft and natural-looking. Malia Griggs, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2025 Kavya tugs on my arm, her nose is scrunched up, eyebrows discombobulated. Navdeep Singh Dhillon, Parents, 21 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrunched
Verb
  • Meanwhile, these Bormiolo Rocco glasses designed by Ross Lovegrove look like someone crumpled a regular rocks glass in their hand like a bad first draft.
    Emily Johnson, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Napkins were crumpled; plates were licked.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Finally, the day arrived, and my friend Kelly Curtis and then-girlfriend Nancy Wilson were crouched behind the camera with Amy.
    Cameron Crowe, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Right then, crouched on the floor of MacDowell’s Cheney studio, Luise discovered a whole new way of working.
    Grace Edquist, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Minnesota Vikings have scraped their way to a 3-3 record despite a slew of meaningful injuries on both sides of the football, but the time for a truly drastic measure may have finally arrived.
    Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Very few have ever scraped quite like Cam Skattebo did.
    Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After Arthur Anderson folded, Townes-Whitley charted a new course by joining Unisys, a server infrastructure company, which catapulted her into the tech world.
    Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Historically, scientists have studied proteins’ folded structures to understand their function individually.
    Viviane Callier, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The cryptocurrency industry’s top legislative priority is facing yet more headwinds shortly after CEOs huddled with senators to salvage bipartisan talks.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Set it up on an outdoor table in your backyard or bring it with you while tailgating or huddled up on the sidelines of a soccer game.
    Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Carolina Panthers gritted out a 13-6 win over the New York Jets on the road thanks to a two-interception day from Jaycee Horn, a turnover-free performance from the offense and a close-to-flawless day on special teams.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Best Amazon Prime Day Storage & Organization Deals Keep the closets neat, the drawers organized, the spices in alphabetical order, and the bedding from getting wrinkled with these genius storage and organization hacks.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Cut them in half and roast them at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) until the skins are charred and wrinkled.
    Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That’s the itch that Winstead’s horror projects have scratched, from The Hand That Rocks the Cradle back to 2006’s Final Destination 3 and 2016’s 10 Cloverfield Lane.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Fabrics have scratched surfaces, mimicking digital glitches.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scrunched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrunched. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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