munch

verb

ˈmənch 

munched; munching; munches

transitive verb

: to eat with a chewing action

… many a mouthful is munched in private …

—Washington Irving

also : to snack on

… drank coffee and munched homemade cookies …

—Lady Bird Johnson

intransitive verb

: to eat or chew something

also : snack

—usually used with on

muncher noun

Examples of munch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

True to the hotel’s philosophy of repose and rest, the basket invites you to linger longer in your rooms, with enough to keep munching on through the morning. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026

Nearby, a desert tortoise had emerged from its burrow to munch on some grass — a rare sight that elicited a whoop of joy from Wilcox. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026

Patrons sip on coladas, cortaditos and munch on croquetas at the iconic walk-up window. —Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026

The same insect can munch leaves in summer as a caterpillar, sleep through winter as a pupa, and sip flower nectar in spring as a butterfly. —Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English monchen, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for munch

• brunch
• bunch
• chinch
• crunch
• hunch
• lunch
• punch
• keypunch

Kids Definition

munch

verb

ˈmənch 

: to eat with a chewing action

also : to snack on

munched popcorn and watched a movie

muncher noun

Biographical Definition

Munch 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈmᵫnch 

ˈmu̇nch

Charles 1891–1968 Alsatian-born conductor

Munch

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

ˈmu̇ŋk 

Edvard 1863–1944 Norwegian painter