crunch
Americanverb (used with object)
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to crush with the teeth; chew with a crushing noise.
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to crush or grind noisily.
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to tighten or squeeze financially.
The administration's policy seems to crunch the economy in order to combat inflation.
verb (used without object)
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to chew with a crushing sound.
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to produce, or proceed with, a crushing noise.
noun
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an act or sound of crunching.
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a shortage or reduction of something needed or wanted.
the energy crunch.
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distress or depressed conditions due to such a shortage or reduction.
a budget crunch.
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a critical or dangerous situation.
When the crunch comes, just do your best.
idioms
verb
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to bite or chew (crisp foods) with a crushing or crackling sound
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to make or cause to make a crisp or brittle sound
the snow crunched beneath his feet
noun
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the sound or act of crunching
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short for abdominal crunch
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informal the critical moment or situation
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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crunchsimple
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crunchessimple
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have crunchedperfect
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has crunchedperfect
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am crunchingprogressive
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are crunchingprogressive
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is crunchingprogressive
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have been crunchingperfect progressive
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has been crunchingperfect progressive
Past
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crunchedsimple
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had crunchedperfect
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was crunchingprogressive
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were crunchingprogressive
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had been crunchingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of crunch
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The fact that . . . we are almost certainly safe from a fiery death in a Big Crunch has turned out to be cold comfort,” she writes.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
An analysis by a South Korean team has hinted that, rather than the Universe continuing to expand, galaxies could be pulled back together by gravity, ending in what astronomers call a "Big Crunch".
From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025
Crunch the numbers now so you can determine whether you’re in the AMT’s crosshairs.
From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025
I’ve asked Tesla to respond to critiques of the deal terms, including those by Tech Crunch and Lockett, but haven’t received a response.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 16, 2025
She gave him a reproachful look, then retreated to the back of the cart and sat with her arms around Crunch, as if the dog was her last true friend in the world.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
