hunch

American  

[huhnch] / hʌntʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to thrust out or up in a hump; arch.

   to hunch one's back.

2. to shove, push, or jostle.

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verb (used without object)

1. to thrust oneself forward jerkily; lunge forward.

2. to stand, sit, or walk in a bent posture.

noun

1. a premonition or suspicion; guess.

   I have a hunch he'll run for reelection.

   Synonyms:

   conjecture, theory, feeling, surmise

2. a hump.

3. a push or shove.

4. a lump or thick piece.

hunch British  

/ hʌntʃ /

noun

1. an intuitive guess or feeling

2. another word for hump

3. a lump or large piece

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verb

1. to bend or draw (oneself or a part of the body) up or together

2. to sit in a hunched position

Etymology

Origin of hunch

1590–1600; 1900–05 hunch for def. 5; apparently variant of obsolete hinch to push, shove, kick < ?

Example Sentences

Ryan Sohn, Rigor Hill’s co-owner, opened the store in 2022 on the hunch that diners who eat at Michelin-star restaurants would also pay top dollar for takeaway.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Monahan's own hunch centres on a subtype of the E. coli bacteria in the gut.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

Muir cited this week’s price behavior in silver as justification for his hunch.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026

Judging by the laundry list of musicians who flocked to the Hotel Cafe in those early years, his hunch was spot-on.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2025

My shoulders hunch as I start to sob the way I used to when I was little.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

Related Words

• inkling
• instinct
• intuition
• premonition