hunched; hunching; hunches
1
2
: to thrust or bend (someone or something) over into a humped or crooked position
hunched his shoulders as he headed out into the storm
sat hunched over the table reading a map
kept his … body hunched slightly forward—
Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams1
: to thrust oneself forward
hunched along for a short spell of safe steps—T. B. Costain
T. B. Costain2
a
: to assume a bent or crooked posture
folded his hands on the table and hunched forward—Hugh MacLennan
Hugh MacLennan
b
: to draw oneself into a ball : curl up
hunch beneath the covers—Randall Jarrell
Randall Jarrell1
: an act or instance of pushing someone or something in a rough or careless manner : an act or instance of hunching (see hunch entry 1 sense transitive)
give him a good hunch with your foot—Abraham Tucker
Abraham Tucker2
3
: a strong intuitive feeling concerning especially a future event or result
had a hunch I would find you here
Synonyms
Examples of hunch in a Sentence
Verb
He hunched his shoulders as he headed out into the storm.
he hunched next to a bush to avoid being seen
Noun
My hunch is that the stock is going to go up in value.
“How did you know I'd be here?” “It was just a hunch.”
Recent Examples on the WebRichard Robbins, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2024
Jorge Gomez, a lone 34-year-old Honduran man who arrived a day after the border was shut for people like him, sat hunched and weary near a patch of overgrowth at the river’s edge.
—Reyes Mata Iii, New York Times, 8 June 2024
Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 30 May 2024
As for the rest of the field, Carl Clemons-Hopkins was nominated here back in 2021, though my hunch is that Paul W. Downs is in a better position for the Hacks nomination now that Jimmy is essentially a shadow protagonist on the show.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hunch 
Verb
Defendant Trump, slightly hunched over his 77-year-old frame, lumbered in through the courtroom’s back door and walked with his entourage right past us to the defendant’s table.
—Richard Robbins, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2024
Jorge Gomez, a lone 34-year-old Honduran man who arrived a day after the border was shut for people like him, sat hunched and weary near a patch of overgrowth at the river’s edge.
—Reyes Mata Iii, New York Times, 8 June 2024
Noun
This wasn’t just the product of hunches or bias; warriors were prominently featured in the Mycenaean art with numerous depictions showing their helmets, swords, spears, bows, and arrows in great detail.
—Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 30 May 2024
As for the rest of the field, Carl Clemons-Hopkins was nominated here back in 2021, though my hunch is that Paul W. Downs is in a better position for the Hacks nomination now that Jimmy is essentially a shadow protagonist on the show.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hunch
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hunch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hunch
Cite this Entry
“Hunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunch. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hunch
1 of 2 verb1
: to push oneself forward by jerks
hunch nearer the fire
2
: to bend one's body into an arch or hump
were hunched over the table
3
: to draw up close together or into an arch
hunched my shoulders
hunch
2 of 2 noun2
: a strong feeling about what will happen : intuition
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