crunch

[ kruhnch ]

verb (used with object)

1. to crush with the teeth; chew with a crushing noise.
2. to crush or grind noisily.
3. to tighten or squeeze financially:

   The administration's policy seems to crunch the economy in order to combat inflation.

verb (used without object)

1. to chew with a crushing sound.
2. to produce, or proceed with, a crushing noise.

noun

1. an act or sound of crunching.
2. a shortage or reduction of something needed or wanted:

   the energy crunch.

3. distress or depressed conditions due to such a shortage or reduction:

   a budget crunch.

4. a critical or dangerous situation:

   When the crunch comes, just do your best.

crunch

/ krʌntʃ /

verb

1. to bite or chew (crisp foods) with a crushing or crackling sound
2. to make or cause to make a crisp or brittle sound

   the snow crunched beneath his feet

noun

1. the sound or act of crunching
2. short for abdominal crunch
3. the crunch informal.
   the critical moment or situation

adjective

1. informal.
   critical; decisive

   crunch time

Derived Forms

• ˈcrunchy, adjective
• ˈcrunchable, adjective
• ˈcrunchily, adverb
• ˈcrunchiness, noun

Other Words From

• cruncha·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crunch¹

1795–1805; blend of craunch and crush

Word History and Origins

Origin of crunch¹

C19: changed (through influence of munch ) from earlier craunch, of imitative origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. crunch numbers, Computers.
   1. to perform a great many numerical calculations or extensive manipulations of numerical data.
   2. to process a large amount of data.

Example Sentences

After two weeks of talking, delegates here in Baku finally reached the crunch issues that were always going to face this meeting – dealing with climate finance, and improving efforts to cut carbon.

From BBC

Austin Reaves, one of the Lakers’ best shooters, missed two earlier in crunch time.

From Los Angeles Times

Several senior government ministers and car makers with factories in the UK will hold crunch talks this week about the EV mandate and the slump in car demand.

From BBC

If Mr Miliband does have the power, and if it does come to the crunch, it is not clear what he would do.

From BBC

"I just think we should just all calm down a bit until we are clear about how many farms will be affected, and we are crunching the numbers on that," she said.

From BBC

Related Words

• crisis
• difficulty
• trouble