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
Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ crunch-time budget talks turned tense Friday as board members questioned why it’s taken so long to get clarity on lingering questions.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
ABC News, 4 May 2026
Petrovic made an impact early, crunching Nick Foligno against the boards between the benches, leaving Foligno in considerable pain.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Noun
Cultural groups, meanwhile, are bracing for potentially large cuts in county funding amid a significant budget crunch.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ crunch-time budget talks turned tense Friday as board members questioned why it’s taken so long to get clarity on lingering questions.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2026
Verb
Numbers were crunched and Zoom calls were held.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
Petrovic made an impact early, crunching Nick Foligno against the boards between the benches, leaving Foligno in considerable pain.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crunch
Noun
-
There won’t be a shortage of suitors, if Alvarez is made available.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in the loss of nearly a billion barrels of oil, with the shortage growing worse every day the sea lane remains closed.—
Azhar Sukri,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
In the meantime, the energy crisis continues, threatening summer holidays in Asia and Europe as the loss of jet fuel supplies from the Middle East ripples across those regions.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
-
But beneath the joy and abandon, the AIDS crisis casts an ever-deepening shadow.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
This is where the conspiracy theories begin to grit their teeth.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Eye protection keeps grime and grit out of your eyes.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Staff and managers complained about the lack of specifics, as did legal-services providers and advocacy groups.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Pratt took aim at Bass over the lack of water available during the inferno, with fire hydrants running dry.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Nick Nurse will continue in his role as head coach, according to team sources.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Late Wednesday morning at Jalisco’s in Kansas City, Kansas, longtime customers scraped their forks against their plates, enjoying some of their final bites at the restaurant.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
-
The process of scraping food, touching the sink and other surfaces will leave your hands needing a proper wash as well.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Blue Jays right fielder Addison Barger was scratched from the lineup because of a sore right shoulder.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
More than two months into the Iran war, many analysts are still scratching their heads that wartime leaders in Washington did not plan for an Iranian shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crunch. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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