1
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
a severe energy crunch that resulted in long lines at the gas pumps
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crisis
a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action
a player who's always good in a crunch, like when we need a goal to win the soccer match
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crunch
Dieter Kurtenbach, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
The club may eventually also face a similar decision with Masataka Yoshida, who has spent the entire season on the IL recovering from offseason shoulder surgery but who would prompt another roster crunch in the outfield upon his return.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 1 June 2025
Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 28 May 2025
For some, FromSoftware’s open-world action RPG is the pinnacle of hardcore gaming — an endless gauntlet of death and discovery that rewards heavy stat crunching and min-maxing on specific character builds to bend the game to a player’s will.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
But with a cash crunch coming for the roster and Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tendon ruptured, the Celtics are now 20-to-1 to win the title next season.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
The club may eventually also face a similar decision with Masataka Yoshida, who has spent the entire season on the IL recovering from offseason shoulder surgery but who would prompt another roster crunch in the outfield upon his return.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 1 June 2025
Verb
Some studies suggest yes: A meta-analysis published in 2023 in Nutrition Reviews crunched the data on 23 studies and concluded taking creatine was linked to better memory, especially in older adults age 66 to 76.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 28 May 2025
For some, FromSoftware’s open-world action RPG is the pinnacle of hardcore gaming — an endless gauntlet of death and discovery that rewards heavy stat crunching and min-maxing on specific character builds to bend the game to a player’s will.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
-
Japan began experiencing a matcha shortage in late 2024, as global interest in the powdered green tea spiked, according to the Global Japanese Tea Association.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2025
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Korn Ferry predicts a global shortage of up to 85 million tech workers by 2030.—
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Let this list, which mostly eschews household names, be an antidote to that crisis, surveying 2025’s most notable releases thus far across pop, rock, electronic, rap, and Latin music.—
Jenn Pelly,
Time,
7 June 2025
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For some counselors, serving on crisis/on-call rotations is a high source of burnout; however, other staff members might enjoy this work more than carrying a caseload.—
Eric Wood,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Hart is revered by many as the heart and soul of the Knicks due to his hustle and grit as a rebounder and perimeter defender.—
Kambui Bomani,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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While the crowds swell in July and August, Cádiz manages to retain its seductive mix of grandeur and grit year-round.—
Christopher Bagley,
Travel + Leisure,
11 May 2025
Noun
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Most troubling is a lack of true concern or remedies for a huge problem for America, our national debt, and the service on that $36 trillion debt, which amounts to almost a trillion dollars a year.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2025
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Brandon Bell/Getty Images What To Know A chronic lack of inventory, partially due to the fact that homebuilders in the U.S. significantly underbuilt in the years following the 2008 crash, contributed to bringing U.S. home prices through the roof in recent years.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Delimitros said one of the truck’s side view mirrors struck her in the head, causing minor injuries.—
David Hernandez,
sandiegouniontribune.com,
19 July 2017
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Cal Fire representatives said the current parking mess has already impacted them because the driveway to their station enters the highway not far from the trail head.—
J. Harry Jones,
Ramona Sentinel,
19 July 2017
Verb
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With Jackson Jobe out of action until possibly 2027, Detroit has already scraped the bottom of the barrel of their pitching depth.—
Daniel R. Epstein,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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Beat butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 2 minutes.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
10 June 2025
Verb
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Traditional metrics like likes, shares and views only scratch the surface.—
Jehan Hamedi,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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It is crafted from 100 percent fir wood that’s durable enough to withstand everything from cat scratches to wind gusts.—
Maggie Horton,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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