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
Trisha Pasricha, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
South Korea has moved to increase output at its nuclear reactors to mitigate the energy crunch and Lee has also called for a faster transition to renewable energy, saying the war has exposed the country’s heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
The vehicle features four pairs of tracks called belts at each corner, with 57 six-foot-long steel shoes that will crunch their way over a pathway filled with river rock.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
The roasted chickpeas add a delicious crispy crunch.
—Trisha Pasricha, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
South Korea has moved to increase output at its nuclear reactors to mitigate the energy crunch and Lee has also called for a faster transition to renewable energy, saying the war has exposed the country’s heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Wandering around the park, dry leaves crunching underfoot, feels like crashing a dress rehearsal, or an extremely chill treeworker renegade.
—Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
The vehicle features four pairs of tracks called belts at each corner, with 57 six-foot-long steel shoes that will crunch their way over a pathway filled with river rock.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
-
In response, the Fashion Institute of Technology has partnered with Nordstrom to create a training program aimed at addressing the shortage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Reuse was essential because in many contemporary cities, and especially across China, water shortages could be as much of a problem as flooding.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
City leaders in Lake Dallas got more than an earful from residents who believe they were failed during a crisis in late March when a house explosion critically injured Jessica Bailey Lopez.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Don’t wait for your first crisis to act.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This is where the conspiracy theories begin to grit their teeth.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Eye protection keeps grime and grit out of your eyes.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As recently as 2022, research group IDinsight found unintended pregnancy was, after a lack of money for school fees, the leading cause of girls not returning to education.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In Miami-Dade, the lack of oversight has been acute, the Herald found.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One such affair claimed an extra life when the executioner’s son ascended the scaffold to brandish a head, lost his footing, and fell to his death.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There are, naturally, layers of deception to scrape away first.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Avery Sullivan, with whom Morris also plays in the country-rock band Fust, keeps loose time on drums, tapping the snare like someone setting down coffee mugs while Libby Rodenbough scrapes out a few melody lines on her fiddle and colors empty spaces with some ghostly tremolo.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Avoid using abrasive tools, which can scratch the door’s surface and prevent a streak-free finish.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Schmitt scratched, Encarnacion gets first start First baseman Casey Schmitt was scratched from Friday’s starting lineup due to lower back tightness.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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