crouch

verb

ˈkrau̇ch 

crouched; crouching; crouches

intransitive verb

1

a

: to lower the body stance especially by bending the legs

The sprinter crouched and was ready to go.

b

: to lie close to the ground with the legs bent

… a pair of cats, crouching on the brink of a fight.

—Aldous Huxley

2

: to bend or bow servilely : cringe

3

: to stand at a low height

Cottages crouched along the river.

transitive verb

: to bow especially in humility or fear : bend

The dog crouched its head.

crouch noun

Synonyms

• couch
• huddle
• hunch
• hunker (down)
• scrunch
• squat
• squinch

Examples of crouch in a Sentence

She crouched down, trying to get a closer look at the spider.

The lion crouched in the tall grass, waiting to attack the gazelle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nearby, kids were crouching to look into a clear tube tank and even adults were sliding on their backs under the adjacent upside-down jellyfish tank to snap a picture of these topsy-turvy creatures. —Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025

Leoni quickly peeled herself off of Grant while smiling, and Ortega crouched down on the floor. —Adam B. Vary, Variety, 9 Mar. 2025

While visiting Tŷ Hafan, the royal spent a lot of time with children, crouching on their level to speak with them. —Julia Teti, WWD, 30 Jan. 2025

Later in the footage, a cat shows up, crouched near the iguana. —Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Rhymes for crouch

• bouche
• couch
• grouch
• ouch
• pouch
• slouch
• vouch

Kids Definition

crouch

verb

ˈkrau̇ch 

: to stoop or bend low with the arms and legs close to the body

crouch noun