crunch

UK: /ˈkrʌntʃ/ US: /krʌntʃ/ ,(krunch)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

crunch /krʌntʃ/   v. 

1. to chew with a sharp crushing noise:
   [~ + object] crunching his breakfast cereal.
   [~ + on + object]
   crunching on his breakfast cereal.
2. to crush or grind noisily: [~ + object]
   Our boots crunched the snow as we walked over it.
   [no object]
   The gravel in the road crunched under the car.
3. to proceed with a crushing noise:
   [no object] cars crunching along the gravel road.
4. Computing [~ + object] to work with or process (data) in large amounts, esp. by computer:
   Crunch the data and bring me an analysis of it by tomorrow.

n. [countable]

5. an act or sound of crunching:
   I heard a loud crunch and looked out the window.
6. a shortage or reduction:
   the energy crunch.
7. distress or hard times due to such a shortage or reduction:
   in a budget crunch for nearly three years.

crunch•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

crunch  (krunch), v.t. 

1. to crush with the teeth;
   chew with a crushing noise.
2. to crush or grind noisily.
3. Business to tighten or squeeze financially:
   The administration's policy seems to crunch the economy in order to combat inflation.

v.i. 

4. to chew with a crushing sound.
5. to produce, or proceed with, a crushing noise.
6. Computing, Idioms crunch numbers:
   • to perform a great many numerical calculations or extensive manipulations of numerical data.
   • to process a large amount of data.

n. 

7. an act or sound of crunching.
8. a shortage or reduction of something needed or wanted:
   the energy crunch.
9. distress or depressed conditions due to such a shortage or reduction:
   a budget crunch.
10. a critical or dangerous situation:
    When the crunch comes, just do your best.

Also, craunch. 

• blend of, blended craunch and crush 1795–1805

crunch′a•ble, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

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
3. (transitive) to perform calculations on (numbers or data) on a large scale

noun

1. the sound or act of crunching
2. the crunch ⇒ the critical moment or situation

adjective

1. critical; decisive: crunch time

Etymology: 19th Century: changed (through influence of munch) from earlier craunch, of imitative origin

ˈcrunchy adjective

ˈcrunchily adverb

ˈcrunchiness noun