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
He could be seen scrunching his face in anticipation.
—
Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground and use your toes to grab and curl the towel toward you, scrunching it up several times before switching sides.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 26 Dec. 2025
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
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
But on a multi-night getaway, scrunching a sweatshirt behind your head gets old fast.
—Emily Pennington, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2025
Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground and use your toes to grab and curl the towel toward you, scrunching it up several times before switching sides.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 26 Dec. 2025
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
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
But on a multi-night getaway, scrunching a sweatshirt behind your head gets old fast.
—Emily Pennington, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrunching
Verb
-
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
-
According to the outlet, a witness claimed a group of people saw the snow leopard crouching from a distance.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
-
State wildlife officials on Thursday said a mountain lion cub with an injured paw that was captured after being spotted crouching in the middle of a Castaic roadway is on the mend.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After scraping and analyzing the potion, researchers confirmed beyond a doubt that the medicinal vial contained fecal matter, turning theory into historical fact.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
-
This helps loosen ice before scraping and reduces the risk of damaging the glass, according to AAA Texas.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Vertical file folding for towels and clothes maximizes space and keeps drawers looking tidy longer.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Graduates wear full-length gowns over dress clothes and sit in folding chairs on the field.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Still, even some fans of the project were left scratching their heads.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
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Ballard also agreed that a victim fighting off her attacker and scratching him would likely have the attacker’s DNA under her fingernails.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Many shower curtain liners can be washed in the washing machine with baking soda to bust through tough grime and mildew and a towel to keep the liner from wrinkling.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
19 Jan. 2026
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These are more prone to wrinkling than other weaves, so plan to remove them promptly from the dryer after washing (or iron them) if wrinkles bother you.—
Mary Grace Granados
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The director, a graduate of the AFI conservatory, spent two summers growing up gritting his teeth at an all-boys sleepaway sports camp.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Dec. 2025
-
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 5 Feb. 2026.
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