munch
verb (used with object)
to chew with steady or vigorous working of the jaws, often audibly.
Showing results for munch.
Search instead for
gunch.
munch
1 American
[muhnch]
/ mʌntʃ /
verb (used with object)
-
munches,
present (3rd person singular)
-
munched,
past participle, past
-
munching
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
munches,
present (3rd person singular)
-
munched,
past participle, past
-
munching
present participle
noun
verb phrase
Munch
2
American
[moongk]
/ mʊŋk /
noun
Münch
3
American
[my nsh]
/ münʃ /
noun
Munch
1
British
/ mʊŋk /
noun
munch
2
British
/ mʌntʃ /
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
munchsimple
-
munchessimple
-
have munchedperfect
-
has munchedperfect
-
am munchingprogressive
-
are munchingprogressive
-
is munchingprogressive
-
have been munchingperfect progressive
-
has been munchingperfect progressive
Past
-
munchedsimple
-
had munchedperfect
-
was munchingprogressive
-
were munchingprogressive
-
had been munchingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of munch
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English monchen, variant of mocchen; of imitative origin
Explanation
To munch is to eat something in a loud and enthusiastic way. If you can't stand listening to your brother munch his toast in the morning, you might decide to take your breakfast to go. When you eat something steadily, especially if it's something crunchy, you munch. You might munch on carrot sticks for a snack and then munch a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. You can also take a munch, or a bite, out of something. Munch is an imitative word, its sound echoing the actual sound of munching, but it may also have a connection to the Old French mangier, "to bite or chew."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The creatures faced a prophetic choice: munch on the grass on the side marked with a Mexican flag, or opt for the greenery on the opposing South African side.
From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026
James Bond creator Ian Fleming has a character munch on a Gentleman’s Relish sandwich in his book “For Your Eyes Only.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
"It then reappeared at six in the morning to have a wander and its breakfast with a munch on some dog food and bird seed," he said.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
Ants even feed the beetles mouth-to-mouth, and the beetles munch on their adopted colony’s eggs and larvae.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026
As I made my calls, Otto would munch bananas and stare out the window, or go outside to teach the new arrivals jungle-gym techniques.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
On the walls, another nod to the idea of thinking: reproductions of works by Edvard Munch, the deeply intellectual painter.
From Barron's ● Apr. 15, 2026
Ten years later, a different version of the painting was stolen in an armed robbery, along with the artist’s “Madonna,” from the Munch Museum across town.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
Aside from the aforementioned selection of vintage games, there’s also a Mr. Munch figurine, who is displayed in a clear case and does not turn on.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2025
It still needs a lot of development, according to Mr Munch Smidt-Jensen.
From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2025
And when Canton lifted his head up, Mr. Munch could see that he'd been crying.
From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds
Past investigations would need to be revisited, Münch said.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2024
"Increasing the local concentration and isolating viruses from samples are critical to increasing the sensitivity of diagnosing viral infections," says Professor Münch.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 28, 2024
The nanofibrils used -- small, needle-like structures -- are based on the EF-C peptide, which was first described in 2013 by Professor Jan Münch from Ulm University and Ulm University Medical Center.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 28, 2024
“She focused on issues and not emotions,” said Katharina Münch, a retired teacher.
From New York Times ● Sep. 7, 2021
One of the best national tragedies was written by Münch Bellinghausen.
From Handbook of Universal Literature From the Best and Latest Authorities by Anne C. Lynch Botta
Mr Sunak keeps going on tea, with the bag left in to make it industrial strength, and munches on cake - lemon drizzle the favourite.
From BBC ● May 25, 2024
She concluded that ZIP7 must be acting somewhere before the proteasome munches up the misfolded protein.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 30, 2024
Talking to Wall now as he munches away at his postgame meal, it’s clear the past few years have humbled him but not dimmed his ultrahigh self-confidence.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 9, 2022
In one adorable moment, he munches on a carrot tied around his neck.
From Salon ● Nov. 17, 2022
Dawn Celeste munches chips out of a bag, brushes the crumbs off her cushy chest.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
They slurped the cafe’s signature lavashak smoothie — a tart mixture including peaches, various berries and pomegranate molasses — and munched on slow-cooked lamb over nachos with melty Armenian string cheese.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Attendees munched on free popcorn and tacos while they waited to hear the new single in batches of 10 at a time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026
During her dream bridal shower, Williams and her friends munched on Asian food before partaking in a lip-synch battle.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 29, 2025
The foursome bonded over a frigid river plunge on a canyoneering excursion and munched on homemade “bliss balls,” a snack made from oats, honey and dates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025
I munched on my crisps, letting them soften in my mouth before I bit into them so as to make less noise.
From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd
South Africa’s Cheetah Plains now uses electric Land Cruisers for what it markets as its “silent game drives” through Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, trading engine noise for the rustle of elephants munching grass.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
While sipping on his coffee and munching on extra crispy bacon and blueberry pancakes Sunday morning, Baker sat at the Otesaga Resort where the Hall of Famers stay during induction weekend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
In announcing Gramma’s death, the zoo posted video of her munching on vegetarian meals — romaine lettuce and cactus fruit were particular favorites — and meandering around her habitat and lazily plodding through a pond.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025
Film buffs sit snugly in cars watching a drive-in movie, munching popcorn on a lovely recent fall night.
From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2025
And while they argued if Carver rhymed with larva, I saw pictures of my Temptations-whistling, dimpled, smiling father sitting in the RKO movie theater munching on popcorn with his arm around Miss Marva Hendrix’s shoulders.
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
