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 The chamber was so small that much of the audience watched from an overflow room; the Democrats (including four previous presidents and their spouses, sans Michelle Obama) were scrunched up close to the Republicans, as if at a courthouse wedding. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2025 Apply to damp or dry hair to detangle and style—scrunch for curls or smooth with a brush for sleek looks. Erin Parker, Allure, 27 Dec. 2024 Bunions were forming on the sides of my feet, and my little toes were starting to scrunch into claws, or hammer toes. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 8 Jan. 2025 Pastor Harris had sat scrunched in his truck, dazed as his boots filled with water and blood from the gashes in his shins. Eduardo Medina, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for scrunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrunch
Verb
  • By Tuesday afternoon, the plane wreckage was barely recognizable, camouflaged against the ground by snow plastered across the frozen fuselage, its left wing crumpled and right wing missing.
    Andy Rose, CNN, 18 Feb. 2025
  • Photos show the impact splintered the wood beams and crumpled metal roofing from the awning up to the ridge.
    Bradenton Herald, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Eventually, the camera revealed Bell crouched beside Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester, joking that a hangry Meester wrote the dialogue.
    Lindsay Kimble, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The artist emerged crouched on the hood of a muscle car, moody and looking downward.
    Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • When the piece is over, my friend scrapes her bow down the strings, and Millie howls with laughter.
    Danilyn Rutherford, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
  • And snow plows are still scraping streets clean after Tuesday’s storm dropped 2 to 4 inches of snow across the metro.
    Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Hydraulic disc brakes at both the front and rear ensure effective stopping power, and the handlebar can be folded down for storage or transport, as well as adjusted for height while riding.
    William Roberson, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Crafted from bouncy layers of colorful organza strips that can be folded flat, these numbers are expected to further express the sense of happiness Fang was looking to imbue in the lineup.
    Sandra Salibian, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Their identity was built on defense, grit and goaltending, with timely offense.
    Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
  • In the early days, a business often runs on intuition, grit and a dash of luck.
    B.D. Dalton, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Ava flashes scratches on her forearm, courtesy of Isabella’s fingernails.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025
  • So was Kyle Connor, who was scratched on Thursday for Chris Kreider, who played a second straight game.
    Michael Russo, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scrunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrunch. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on scrunch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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