1
as in crumpling
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in
scrunched up the shirt and tossed it in the laundry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crouching
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrunching
To re-create the style, Abramite recommends adding mousse to damp hair and blow-drying with a diffuser while scrunching for volume at the roots and expansion throughout.
—
Marci Robin, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
Pooling at the wrists, scrunching at the ankles, dragging on the ground — chalk these fashion challenges up to just another day in the life of this 5-foot shopping writer.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
And some ankle booties with wedge heels might appear moderate, but can actually throw your weight onto the balls of your feet, scrunching your toes up against the toe box.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025
Marci Robin, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
Pooling at the wrists, scrunching at the ankles, dragging on the ground — chalk these fashion challenges up to just another day in the life of this 5-foot shopping writer.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
And some ankle booties with wedge heels might appear moderate, but can actually throw your weight onto the balls of your feet, scrunching your toes up against the toe box.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrunching
Verb
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The sixth inning also featured a frightening moment when Cleveland’s David Fry, squaring around to bunt, took a 99 mph fastball from Skubal off his face, crumpling to the dirt as Skubal reacted with distress.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Singh’s truck blocked both lanes of the northbound Turnpike, leading the Chrysler Town & Country minivan the three friends were riding in to slam into the semi’s 18-wheeler trailer, crumpling underneath it.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The exhibition features his maps and sullied backpack, toothbrush, bar of soap, and survival goods, along with photos of him sleeping on park benches, crouching on the banks of the Hudson in front of ice floes, and haunting the city.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
7 Nov. 2025
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After a brief struggle for traction, the robot regained control by crouching slightly, mimicking a human posture to exert force.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead of pursuing chances to pitch reboots of Hollywood’s most beloved properties, scraping the bottom of the barrel might afford you more opportunities to make films that truly feel your own.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
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There’s a lot of concern among professionals across the creative and media industries that generative AI tools are essentially stealing their work by scraping content available on the Internet.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Listed by Carmen Galzerano of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, the six-bedroom, nine-bath home offers roughly 11,700 square feet across three levels punctuated with arched doorways, sliding wrought-iron and glass barn doors, and folding walls of glass.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
11 Nov. 2025
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Critics were quick to accuse the Democratic defectors of folding despite holding an arguably strong position on the shutdown.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Dallas Cowboys have made some head-scratching moves in 2025 dating back to the preseason, which have both strengthened the interior of the defensive line but also added confusion about the future of the unit.—
Max Dible,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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Many see Horton as only just scratching the surface.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Dryer sheets soften and release wrinkles in fabrics that are prone to wrinkling, such as cotton and linen.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
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Nothing kills an outfit faster than a rigid denim waistband digging into your sides or linen trousers wrinkling at the first sign of sitting.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bob Donnan / Imagn Images North Carolina and head coach Bill Belichick picked up a second straight ACC win on Saturday, gritting to a 20-15 victory over Stanford in Chapel Hill.—
Justin Williams,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrunching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrunching. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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