1
as in crumpling
to create (as by crushing) an irregular mass of creases in
scrunched up the shirt and tossed it in the laundry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crouching
to lie low with the limbs close to the body
the climbers scrunched down on the leeward side of a large boulder and waited for the storm to pass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scrunching
To re-create the style, Abramite recommends adding mousse to damp hair and blow-drying with a diffuser while scrunching for volume at the roots and expansion throughout.
—
Marci Robin, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
Pooling at the wrists, scrunching at the ankles, dragging on the ground — chalk these fashion challenges up to just another day in the life of this 5-foot shopping writer.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
And some ankle booties with wedge heels might appear moderate, but can actually throw your weight onto the balls of your feet, scrunching your toes up against the toe box.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025
Marci Robin, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
Pooling at the wrists, scrunching at the ankles, dragging on the ground — chalk these fashion challenges up to just another day in the life of this 5-foot shopping writer.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
And some ankle booties with wedge heels might appear moderate, but can actually throw your weight onto the balls of your feet, scrunching your toes up against the toe box.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrunching
Verb
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The sixth inning also featured a frightening moment when Cleveland’s David Fry, squaring around to bunt, took a 99 mph fastball from Skubal off his face, crumpling to the dirt as Skubal reacted with distress.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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Singh’s truck blocked both lanes of the northbound Turnpike, leading the Chrysler Town & Country minivan the three friends were riding in to slam into the semi’s 18-wheeler trailer, crumpling underneath it.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Trosch also ruled the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy could testify about the findings, but would not be allowed to speculate on if Scott Brooks was in a crouching position when he was shot.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Oct. 2025
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In the nearly two-minute preview, fans get a glimpse at how present her now-fiancé was behind the scenes, at one point crouching underneath the stage and grinning wide as the pop star bends down and kisses him on the cheek.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Beat until combined, scraping bowl as needed.—
Jenavieve Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
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Earlier this week the company filed a lawsuit against a group of data-scraping companies for allegedly pilfering its content and selling it to Perplexity.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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View gallery - 9 images The new Hex from New Zealand company KEA Outdoors looks like an unassuming folding EDC (everyday carry) knife upon first glance.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 Oct. 2025
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Continue folding them, following the angle of the cuts, until the crust is entirely pleated.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And that’s just scratching the surface.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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The Jonas Brothers’ performance at the 2025 World Series left some viewers scratching their heads.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Dryer sheets soften and release wrinkles in fabrics that are prone to wrinkling, such as cotton and linen.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
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Nothing kills an outfit faster than a rigid denim waistband digging into your sides or linen trousers wrinkling at the first sign of sitting.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrunching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrunching. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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