/ Dictionary / Index C crunch: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: crunch Pronunciation: (krunch), [key] — v.t. to crush with the teeth; chew with a crushing noise. to crush or grind noisily. to tighten or squeeze financially: The administration's policy seems to crunch the economy in order to combat inflation. —v.i. to chew with a crushing sound. to produce, or proceed with, a crushing noise. to perform a great many numerical calculations or extensive manipulations of numerical data. to process a large amount of data. —n. an act or sound of crunching. a shortage or reduction of something needed or wanted: the energy crunch. distress or depressed conditions due to such a shortage or reduction: a budget crunch. a critical or dangerous situation: When the crunch comes, just do your best. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: crunch (Thesaurus) crumpled cruncher Related Content Daily Word Quiz: jaundice Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language