crunch

American  

[kruhnch] / krʌntʃ /

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.

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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.

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.

crunch British  

/ krʌntʃ /

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

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noun

1. the sound or act of crunching

2. short for abdominal crunch

3. informal the critical moment or situation

adjective

1. informal critical; decisive

   crunch time

Other Word Forms

• crunchable
  adjective
• crunchily
  adverb
• crunchiness
  noun
• crunchy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of crunch

1795–1805; blend of craunch and crush

Explanation

When you crunch something, you grind it into tiny pieces, often with your teeth. You can also crunch whole spices into smaller bits with a mortar and pestle. A horse might crunch an apple, and on a summer day you might drink a glass of iced tea and crunch the ice between your teeth. You could also describe the sound of gravel underneath the wheels of a car or feet walking in fresh snow as a crunch. A figurative crunch is a deadline or crisis: "When it came to the crunch, I just voted for the person who would do the least harm."

Example Sentences

Appeared in the April 3, 2026, print edition as 'Aluminum Crunch Risks Worsening'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Nominally it is all to mark 120 years of Le Crunch – their rivalry with England.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

Crunch, as a sensation, sometimes works like a gentle tether back to appetite.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2026

Crunch the numbers now so you can determine whether you’re in the AMT’s crosshairs.

From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025

“The captain” was Cap’n Crunch, and “the whistle” was the famous toy plastic whistle of phone phreak lore.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• crisis
• difficulty
• trouble