Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

crunch numbers

Idioms  
  1. Perform numerous calculations or process a large amount of numerical data. For example, Preparing John's presentation to the Federal Reserve Board required many hours of crunching numbers. This term originated with the computer age and indeed still applies mostly to the operations of computers. [Slang; second half of 1900s]


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:

As investors increasingly use AI to crunch numbers and summarize earnings calls, this research shows that they should be wary of relying on it for trading advice.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 25, 2026

While banks already use AI to crunch numbers, detect fraud and analyze customer transactions, Wall Street giants are developing more sophisticated uses of generative AI that is capable of generating text, images and other data.

From Reuters Sep. 7, 2023

Financial services companies crunch numbers to assess who should qualify for a home mortgage.

From New York Times Aug. 16, 2022

His ability to crunch numbers has raised the interest of several clubs, including the Panthers, who interviewed him for their recent GM opening.

From Seattle Times Jun. 9, 2021

That’s when they expect to receive a monthly report from analysts at the Legislative Budget Office, the full-time professionals who crunch numbers for the elected lawmakers.

From Washington Times May 31, 2020

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training