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
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Their bullpen is just missing Brock Stewart, who is facing a time crunch to get back from his shoulder issue.
—Dennis Lin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Zev Fima, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Scientists have crunched the numbers, however.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
Closing lineup crunch The Valkyries had four of it five starters stay in the game late to close, but Nakase continually rotated Charles and microwave shooter Kate Martin in the final minutes.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Their bullpen is just missing Brock Stewart, who is facing a time crunch to get back from his shoulder issue.
—Dennis Lin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Just as the rise in beef prices crunched margins, their decline should serve up margin expansion.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Scientists have crunched the numbers, however.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
-
But in the Midwest and the Northeast, where the housing shortage remains most acute, prices have kept high.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Developers face rising costs, labor shortages, and supply constraints.—
Maurice Obeid,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Aid groups say the Israeli military continues to restrict access to food, water, and humanitarian aid, worsening a crisis already marked by starvation and displacement.—
Kaity Kline,
NPR,
18 Sep. 2025
-
During the 2008 financial crisis, Biglari seized on shareholder anger and economic uncertainty.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Just over two hours east of San Diego and 15 miles north of the Mexican border town of Mexicali, El Centro has both grit and charm.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
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But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Trump’s encouragement of Walker was enough to spur him into the race, though Republicans as a whole were hesitant, given Walker’s lack of experience and standing as an unknown quantity among GOP voters.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Traditional data lakes can store raw data at scale but lack quality controls, while warehouses enforce structure but struggle with unstructured or fast changing data.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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During Tuesday's media availability, Swinney addressed concerns about Clemson's 1-2 start by pointing to the track record since he was named head coach in 2009.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The product scrapes the insect, removing oils and fats from the outside of the insect's body.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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To add details, etch swooping lines around the holes by scraping away the pumpkin's outer skin to create contrast.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That 133-page City audit barely scratched the surface of the overall dysfunction at the City’s animal shelter.—
Michael Wagner,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
-
But these figures only scratch the surface of Nepal’s deep economic problems, which include pervasive vulnerable employment – informal and insecure work that is prone to poor conditions and pay – and limited opportunities that constrain long-term productivity.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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