Crunch

/krʌntʃ/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A loud grinding or crushing sound.

The crunch of the snow underfoot was the only sound in the stillness of the night.

A difficult situation that requires a rapid solution or a shortage of resources.

During the financial crunch, many companies had to lay off workers.

verb

To crush or grind something into smaller pieces, often with a noisy or forceful action.

I love to crunch on fresh apples in the fall.

To perform a calculation or a process that involves intense effort or speed.

The computer will crunch the data overnight and provide the results in the morning.

To make a sound characteristic of crushing or grinding.

He crunched the leaves under his feet as he walked through the forest.

The word 'crunch' originated in the early 19th century, possibly imitative of the sound made.

time crunch

A situation where time is limited and tasks must be completed quickly.

number crunching

The act of calculating or analyzing numerical data.

winner takes all crunch

A competitive situation where the best outcome goes to the strongest contender.

munch

To eat something noisily or with a loud chewing sound.

squash

To crush or squeeze something to cause it to lose shape.

To be in a tough situation with limited resources.

We're in a crunch for cash right now.

To work hard or put in extra effort under pressure.

I'm crunching to finish this report on time.