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:
The monkeys with the most frequent soil consumption munch on tourist junk food that is "high in sugar, high in salt, high in dairy, which the macaques can't digest," said Lemoine.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
Nearby, a desert tortoise had emerged from its burrow to munch on some grass — a rare sight that elicited a whoop of joy from Wilcox.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 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
Ringo follows with, “Meanwhile, high in the Swiss Alps, two elderly Scotchmen munch on a rare cheese.”
From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2025
Sitting against the trunk of a giant cottonwood tree, they listened to the creek gurgling and watched the horses munch on grass.
From "In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse" by Joseph Marshall III
In 2012, Black paid $120 million for one of his favorite pieces, an Edvard Munch pastel of “The Scream,” which he sees as the opening salvo in the art world’s Modernist movement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Future exhibitions at London's Tate and Oslo's Munch Museum were in development.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
Aside from the aforementioned selection of vintage games, there’s also a Mr. Munch figurine, who is displayed in a clear case and does not turn on.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2025
Dorothee Munch was born in 1977 in Colonia Dignidad.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2025
After all, Edvard Munch was in my bag.
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
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
Holger Münch, the head of the federal criminal police, said Tuesday that “it is not organized crime,” but “what we see here is perpetrators communicating with each other and making arrangements.”
From New York Times ● Jan. 14, 2016
It is certainly, however, an anomalous thing that a Protestant sovereign, who at this moment is in conflict with Catholic bishops, is represented in the Confederacy by Herr von Münch....
From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 5 by Hamilton Wright Mabie
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
She munches on an apple and silently watches videos on her phone, settling in for a commute that will last more than an hour.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 29, 2023
In one adorable moment, he munches on a carrot tied around his neck.
From Salon ● Nov. 17, 2022
He munches happily, then settles down to watch us, hoping for more treats.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
“We were actually just here on Saturday,” she said, as the kids munched Steakburgers and sipped milkshakes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Together they lit some incense and munched on muffins and chips and guacamole.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 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
The foursome bonded over a frigid river plunge on a canyoneering excursion and munched on homemade “bliss balls,” a snack made from oats, honey and dates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025
My mother carried the brown package to a clearing where several men, women and children sat underneath a blazing sun; some rested, tired from digging; others munched hungrily at dug-up sandwiches and other viands.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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
Some of the earliest octopuses are believed to have been powerful predators equipped with strong arms for grabbing prey and beak-like jaws for munching on the shells and bones of other animals.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
This was the place to learn more—all while munching on old-country baked goods or candies imported from Finland and Sweden.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026
In announcing Gramma’s death, the zoo posted video of her munching on vegetarian meals — romaine lettuce and cactus fruit were particular favorites — and meandering around her habitat and lazily plodding through a pond.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025
“No thanks for him—oh, no—only smackings by great lords! Not even a small munching for helping find a piggy!”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
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