the crunch
noun
: a very difficult point or situation
The crunch came when the computer stopped working.
Examples of the crunch in a Sentence
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The financial stakes are just as high at the top end of the market, where even luxury houses are feeling the crunch of environmental volatility.
—
Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Chains like Popeyes, Smashburger, Outback Steakhouse and Steak ‘n Shake offer a different experience than restaurants using standard vegetable oil blends, and the difference shows up in the crunch, the flavor and the finish.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 18 May 2026
During the crunch, Anthropic has been testing solutions to reduce demand, like enforcing stricter limits during peak hours or removing Claude Code from its cheaper subscription plan.
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
And the crunch on businesses and rising joblessness promised a surge in defaults on customer loans.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the crunch
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Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Chains like Popeyes, Smashburger, Outback Steakhouse and Steak ‘n Shake offer a different experience than restaurants using standard vegetable oil blends, and the difference shows up in the crunch, the flavor and the finish.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 18 May 2026
During the crunch, Anthropic has been testing solutions to reduce demand, like enforcing stricter limits during peak hours or removing Claude Code from its cheaper subscription plan.
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
And the crunch on businesses and rising joblessness promised a surge in defaults on customer loans.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the crunch
Cite this Entry
“The crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20crunch. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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