Scrunched up
/skrʌntʃt ʌp/
B1past tense / past participle (depending on context)
Definition
To "scrunch up" means to press or squeeze something so it becomes smaller, wrinkled, or folded. People often scrunch up paper, clothes, or their face (like when they feel confused or uncomfortable). It shows a tight, small, or wrinkled shape caused by pressure.
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See It in Action
To squeeze or crush something into a smaller, wrinkled shape
- •She scrunched up the paper before throwing it away.
- •The child scrunched up his shirt after playing outside.
- •Please don’t scrunch up the napkins; keep them neat.
To make the face tight and wrinkled, often showing emotion like confusion or pain
- •He scrunched up his face when he tasted the sour lemon.
- •She scrunched up her nose because of the bad smell.
- •When confused, people often scrunch up their eyebrows.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "scrunched up" like "crumpled" (A2 word), but usually for smaller, softer things or facial expressions, not hard or big objects
- ✓Picture a piece of paper that you squeeze tightly in your hand until it has many small folds and wrinkles
- ✓It's the feeling when you close your eyes tightly or wrinkle your nose because of bright light or a bad smell
- ✓Sounds like "scrunch" + "up" → imagine squeezing a soft cloth UP into a small ball
- ✓Think of someone scrunching up their face when they taste something sour or when they are confused
- ✓NOT like "fold" (which is neat and controlled), "scrunch up" is messy and tight
- ✓NOT like "smooth" (flat and even), "scrunch up" makes things wrinkled and bunched
- ✓NOT like "stretch" (making bigger), "scrunch up" makes smaller by squeezing
Try Other Words
- •Crumple: to press or crush into folds or wrinkles (Use when talking about paper or fabric being wrinkled roughly)
- •Wrinkle: to make small lines or folds on a surface (Use when emphasizing small lines, often on skin or fabric)
- •Squeeze: to press firmly together (Use when focusing on the action of pressing, not the result)
- •Fold: to bend something over itself neatly (Use when the action is neat and controlled, not messy)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "scrunch" (verb meaning to squeeze or crush) + particle "up" (indicates completion or direction)
- •Etymology: "Scrunch" is an informal English word from the early 20th century, likely from a sound imitation of squeezing or crunching noises
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe sounds or actions of crushing, it became common to describe wrinkling or squeezing actions
- •Modern usage: Common in everyday speech to describe wrinkling paper, fabric, or facial expressions showing discomfort or confusion
- •Key insight: The particle "up" adds the idea of making something smaller or more compact by pressing
Reflect & Connect
•How do you physically feel when you scrunch up your face? Can you think of times when you do this without realizing?
•What things around you do you often scrunch up, and why do you do it? How does this action help or affect the object?
Fill in the blanks
1.She scrunched up the paper ___ her hand before throwing it away.
2.When tasting something sour, people often scrunch up their ___ to show their reaction.
3.Unlike folding, scrunched up objects look ___ and wrinkled, not neat.
4.You can scrunch up clothes by ___ them tightly in your hands.
5.He scrunched up his face ___ he smelled something bad.
6.Scrunching up a napkin usually makes it ___ and smaller.
7.When confused, many people scrunch up their eyebrows ___ to show they don’t understand.