munch
verb (used with object)
to chew with steady or vigorous working of the jaws, often audibly.
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:
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
Kaldvee was slack again upon the resumption and Mouat - fuelled by an interval munch of mango - delivered with GB's final stone to extend the advantage to 6-3 with three ends remaining.
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2026
Some visitors at Ueno Zoological Gardens were left teary-eyed as they watched Japan's only two pandas Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao munch on bamboo.
From Barron's ● Jan. 25, 2026
Ringo follows with, “Meanwhile, high in the Swiss Alps, two elderly Scotchmen munch on a rare cheese.”
From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2025
Not too far along I found a pleasant resting place where I could sit and munch and contemplate and stare out over the stately brown, slow-moving Father of Waters as my spirit required.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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
It still needs a lot of development, according to Mr Munch Smidt-Jensen.
From BBC ● Jan. 20, 2025
Watching a confused Munch pitch in to help instead of murdering them all is strange at first, then heartwarming as he realizes this sweet, lovely family only wants to make him feel welcome.
From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2024
By the time Canton and Mr. Munch got outside, sirens were already blaring down Portal.
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
She concluded that ZIP7 must be acting somewhere before the proteasome munches up the misfolded protein.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 30, 2024
As she munches on the tea-shop snacks of mooncakes, chestnuts and dried mango, she explains that she wants more than a provincial life.
From BBC ● Jan. 3, 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
Widget munches on a bag of chocolate-covered popcorn.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Nosek wore flannel pajamas around the office, munched on fresh blueberries from their plastic clamshell containers, and built a soundproof, blacked-out box to improve his sleep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Together they lit some incense and munched on muffins and chips and guacamole.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
At the NBA Finals earlier this month, he munched on pizza and french fries and drank Diet Coke.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 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
We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
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
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
In a demo, “What ate my grass?” showed rabbits munching in the garden.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2025
The Red Cow kissed it and fell to munching the meadow.
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
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.
