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View synonyms for

crunch

[kruhnch]

verb (used with object)

  1. to crush with the teeth; chew with a crushing noise.

  2. to crush or grind noisily.

  3. to tighten or squeeze financially.

    The administration's policy seems to crunch the economy in order to combat inflation.



verb (used without object)

  1. to chew with a crushing sound.

  2. to produce, or proceed with, a crushing noise.

noun

  1. an act or sound of crunching.

  2. a shortage or reduction of something needed or wanted.

    the energy crunch.

  3. distress or depressed conditions due to such a shortage or reduction.

    a budget crunch.

  4. a critical or dangerous situation.

    When the crunch comes, just do your best.

crunch

/ ʌԳʃ /

verb

  1. to bite or chew (crisp foods) with a crushing or crackling sound

  2. to make or cause to make a crisp or brittle sound

    the snow crunched beneath his feet

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the sound or act of crunching

  2. short for abdominal crunch

  3. informalthe critical moment or situation

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. informalcritical; decisive

    crunch time

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • crunchable adjective
  • ˈܲԳ adjective
  • ˈܲԳ󲹲 adjective
  • ˈܲԳ󾱱 adverb
  • ˈܲԳ󾱲Ա noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of crunch1

1795–1805; blend of craunch and crush
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Word History and Origins

Origin of crunch1

C19: changed (through influence of munch ) from earlier craunch, of imitative origin
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. crunch numbers,

    1. to perform a great many numerical calculations or extensive manipulations of numerical data.

    2. to process a large amount of data.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Hear me out: the root vegetable, while revered for its colorful interior and satisfying crunch, is simply reduced to just its bulb.

From

This was the potential match that everyone had their eye on when the French Open draw was made: the 'Queen of Clay' against the world number one in the crunch stages.

From

According to Data Golf, which crunches the numbers across all tours, Scheffler gains strokes in every aspect of the game and particularly excels with unerring approach play.

From

The economic crunch has meant that some companies have had to downsize to keep afloat in the face of rising operating costs, pushing young people like Mr Maxwell into an already saturated labour market.

From

He crunched across alluvial soil in scuffed sneakers.

From

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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