scrunch

1
2
as in to crouch
to lie low with the limbs close to the body the climbers scrunched down on the leeward side of a large boulder and waited for the storm to pass

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to scrape
to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound scrunched loose gravel with every footstep

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 scrunch Cho reciprocated with the raw physicality of a man possessed — scrunching up his body, springing up from the piano seat to attack low-register notes. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025 With rounded edges, a removable lid, and neutral canvas exterior, this Open Spaces hamper has enough capacity to house even the fluffiest linens that would otherwise be scrunched in a laundry bag. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2025 Yes, the zip-front melton overcoats were subdued (this is executive wear, Owens style), but leather jackets came scrunched to the navel, and those long johns were paired with a pecs-high crop top, revealing the strapping physique of Mr. Owens’s muse, the model Tyrone Dylan Susman. Jacob Gallagher, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 To use the serum, simply run it through damp hair and blow dry for a voluminous finish, or scrunch and air dry to enhance your natural texture. Esme Benjamin, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scrunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrunch
Verb
  • Malone entered his postgame news conference minutes later, crumpled up a copy of the box score and discarded it in the nearest trash can.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Images of the scene showed the bright yellow Penske truck flipped on its side and lodged between a pole and a storefront, its cab crumpled.
    Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The report states that the vehicle came to a stop and the teen -- wearing a tactical helmet and vest -- got out of the front passenger door and initially crouched on the ground.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Close to a metre down, Matthes began digging through charcoal, as if he were crouched in the middle of a fireplace.
    Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • If another caterpillar wanders into their territory, these tiny critters start furiously drumming their heads, shaking their bodies and scraping their butts against the leaf—a series of complex vibratory behaviors to signal that their leaf tip is off-limits.
    Rohini Subrahmanyam, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Sifting and scraping toxic particles would only further the ongoing coastal erosion, which is its own climate change impact.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • For small decks and porches, this folding side table can be placed flush against balconies and home exteriors, occupying minimal floor space while providing a convenient spot to dine and chat over a meal or a cup of coffee.
    Ali Faccenda, People.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Delfina rolls out the pasta then flicks a huge piece the size of the table out like a bed sheet, folds it concertina style and slices it up finely.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Enter a vast industry of reimbursement specialists who use tech, expertise, and grit to claw back what’s owed.
    Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Then there’s Little Simz, who’s turning growth and grit into poetry on Lotus.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • But the contradiction was apparent for anyone willing to scratch the surface: the three public suspensions and one defection from the Pentagon’s top ranks were all, until very recently, Hegseth loyalists.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The surface of a cat tree is usually covered in a textured, carpet-like material for scratching.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scrunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrunch. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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