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

/ 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

noun

1. the sound or act of crunching
2. See abdominal crunch
   short for abdominal crunch
3. the crunch informal.
   the crunch the critical moment or situation

adjective

1. informal.
   critical; decisive

   crunch time

Derived Forms

• ˈcrunchily, adverb
• ˈcrunchiness, noun
• ˈcrunchable, adjective
• ˈcrunchy, adjective

Other Words From

• cruncha·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crunch¹

1795–1805; blend of craunch and crush

Word History and Origins

Origin of crunch¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. crunch numbers, Computers.
   1. to perform a great many numerical calculations or extensive manipulations of numerical data.
   2. to process a large amount of data.

Example Sentences

There was, however, that pleasant, satisfying crunch, like taking a chunk out of a perfectly crisp apple, and that miniscule bit of toasted, sometimes sweet, sometimes salty, flavor mixed in with a slurry of desiccated rice matter.

From Eater

Stepien earlier had slashed spending on television ads, fearing a cash crunch that could leave the campaign in financial trouble in its final 30 days.

From Washington Post

Ziff Davis, which owns publications including PC Mag and Mashable, saw the strong performance they’ve seen on products such as laptops continue, even amid an economic crunch, vp of partner development Jessica Spira said.

From Digiday

These hundred-million-dollar machines usually run on hundreds of thousands of processors, occupy warehouse floors, gobble up copious amounts of energy, and crunch numbers at an ungodly pace.

From Singularity Hub 

Doritos are prototyped in a lab by material scientists looking at different dimensions of like crunch and torsion and all these other sort of mechanical properties.

From Freakonomics

The low crunch of packed dirt against rubber tire was overwhelmed by the ragged explosions of automatic gunfire.

From The Daily Beast

The stories are told through the eyes of two fishing guides, Crunch and Des, with a spare grace and humor that stand strong.

From The Daily Beast

The tomatoes' crunch and tang add new dimensions of delight.

From The Daily Beast

The dogs have been fried in soybean oil until their exterior skin begins to develop a sensuous crunch.

From The Daily Beast

Look for at least three grams of fiber and three grams of protein for a more satisfying crunch.

From The Daily Beast

The shouts of teamsters and the crack of whips punctuated the crunch of wheels as our wagons swiftly swung again into stockade.

From Project Gutenberg

A crunch of footsteps could be heard outside, cautiously approaching the barn door.

From Project Gutenberg

The lawyer took a cup, sugared it, and drank it, after having crumbled into it a little cake which was too hard to crunch.

From Project Gutenberg

There was a sickening crunch of bone as giant fangs closed on the face of the struggling figure, and Mog, the sullen, was no more.

From Project Gutenberg

I can feel my bones crunch in their big mouths and see them lick their chops after they have eaten us.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• crisis
• difficulty
• trouble