hunched

Definition of hunchednext
past tense of hunch
as in crouched
to lie low with the limbs close to the body he hunched next to a bush to avoid being seen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hunched His skin looks all messed up and he's hunched over in pain, hearing noises. Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026 Balancing a MacBook Pro precariously on a cement rail, Villareal hunched over the machine and scrolled through lines of code. Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Mar. 2026 The Hotel to Book With so many incredible hotels in Mexico City—especially boutiques—choosing where to stay can mean far too many hours hunched over your laptop. Annie Daly, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026 But what if there was a way to quickly improve your abilities without spending hours hunched over the board? Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2026 In the photo the beleaguered president is pinned against the elevator’s back wall, shoulders hunched, arms crossed, eyes staring downward. Steven Levingston, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026 Take note of your posture—if you’re hunched over a computer or in another stress-inducing pose, soften the belly and drop the shoulders to get ready to engage your diaphragm like an opera singer might. Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 23 Feb. 2026 After taking his skis off, Klæbo sat hunched over, staring into the snow, before standing up and congratulating his teammates and the rest of the finishers. Nathaniel Herz, NPR, 21 Feb. 2026 Another set of photos shows a man who appears to be him hunched on his hands and knees over a woman who is lying prone on the floor. Graham Kates, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hunched
Verb
  • When The Times connected with Reyes, she was crouched down backstage at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College in the Bronx.
    Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Jones’ wife Marie came out to the mound for the first pitch with daughters Jami and Staci, who threw the ball to Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman crouched behind the plate.
    Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Molly was huddled underneath the waterfall, just a few meters from the rocky spot where her owner had fallen.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The clip showed Molly huddled and shivering near the rocks before a rescuer grabbed her.
    Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hunched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunched. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on hunched

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster