crouched; crouching; crouches
1
a
: to lower the body stance especially by bending the legs
The sprinter crouched and was ready to go.
b
: to lie close to the ground with the legs bent
… a pair of cats, crouching on the brink of a fight.—
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley2
: to bend or bow servilely : cringe
3
: to stand at a low height
Cottages crouched along the river.
: to bow especially in humility or fear : bend
The dog crouched its head.
crouch
noun
Synonyms
Examples of crouch in a Sentence
She crouched down, trying to get a closer look at the spider.
The lion crouched in the tall grass, waiting to attack the gazelle.
Recent Examples on the Web
The group behind him, previously playing pool, drinking, or staring into the abyss, suddenly stands up as if charmed by the music and starts dancing, crouching and bobbing their heads, and responding, like a chorus, to the lines of the singer.
—Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2025
Taller family members may feel uncomfortable sitting (read: crouching) on a sofa with a lower height, while petite loungers may not feel their best with their feet skimming the floor while sitting on a couch with extra-deep cushions.
—Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Jan. 2025
The personal touches are plentiful and include window treatments by the Shade Store in a Kravet fabric embroidered with bees (because the owner loves bees), a custom Nourison rug designed with tigers crouching on pink banana leaves, and a niche to showcase the fashion fan’s favorite handbags.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 31 Dec. 2024
Among the recent cases is a Honduran man who crouched behind a wall with an undercover police officer and sold him $40 in fentanyl, according to a criminal complaint.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crouch 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2025
Taller family members may feel uncomfortable sitting (read: crouching) on a sofa with a lower height, while petite loungers may not feel their best with their feet skimming the floor while sitting on a couch with extra-deep cushions.
—Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Jan. 2025
The personal touches are plentiful and include window treatments by the Shade Store in a Kravet fabric embroidered with bees (because the owner loves bees), a custom Nourison rug designed with tigers crouching on pink banana leaves, and a niche to showcase the fashion fan’s favorite handbags.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 31 Dec. 2024
Among the recent cases is a Honduran man who crouched behind a wall with an undercover police officer and sold him $40 in fentanyl, according to a criminal complaint.
—Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crouch
Dictionary Entries Near crouch
Cite this Entry
“Crouch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crouch. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share