hunched; hunching; hunches
1
2
: to thrust or bend (someone or something) over into a humped or crooked position
hunched his shoulders as he headed out into the storm
sat hunched over the table reading a map
kept his … body hunched slightly forward—
Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams1
: to thrust oneself forward
… hunched along for a short spell of safe steps.—T. B. Costain
T. B. Costain2
a
: to assume a bent or crooked posture
… folded his hands on the table and hunched forward …—Hugh MacLennan
Hugh MacLennan
b
: to draw oneself into a ball : curl up
… hunch beneath the covers …—Randall Jarrell
Randall JarrellExamples of hunch in a Sentence
He hunched his shoulders as he headed out into the storm.
he hunched next to a bush to avoid being seen
Recent Examples on the Web
The veteran laid a powerful hip check near his own blue line on his final shift in the first period, was hunched over following the whistle, and hobbled down the tunnel to the dressing room shortly after.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Rather than being hunched over their game consoles, these guys were reenacting a legend that—according to Liane—dates back to the early Middle Ages, featuring a Catholic maiden called Mata and a Muslim prince called Grifone.
—Lee Marshall, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 May 2026
The answer to the Lakers’ slumping offense sat hunched in a chair in the corner of the visitors’ locker room at Paycom Center.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
If you’re hunched over a bowl of mac and cheese, slurping a leftover McFlurry?
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hunch
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Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Rather than being hunched over their game consoles, these guys were reenacting a legend that—according to Liane—dates back to the early Middle Ages, featuring a Catholic maiden called Mata and a Muslim prince called Grifone.
—Lee Marshall, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 May 2026
The answer to the Lakers’ slumping offense sat hunched in a chair in the corner of the visitors’ locker room at Paycom Center.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
If you’re hunched over a bowl of mac and cheese, slurping a leftover McFlurry?
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hunch
Cite this Entry
“Hunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunch. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hunch
1 of 2 verb1
: to push oneself forward by jerks
hunch nearer the fire
2
: to bend one's body into an arch or hump
were hunched over the table
3
: to draw up close together or into an arch
hunched my shoulders
hunch
2 of 2 noun2
: a strong feeling about what will happen : intuition
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