noun

hunch

huhnch

Hunch (noun) means a feeling or guess based on instinct rather than solid evidence. Example: “I had a hunch she was lying, and it turned out I was right.”

noun

A feeling or guess based on instinct rather than solid evidence.

"I had a hunch she was lying, and it turned out I was right."

"Detective work is often just following a hunch until the facts catch up."

verb

To bend forward, rounding your back and shoulders.

"He hunched over his laptop for hours without a break."

How to use hunch

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA gut feeling that something is true, or the act of curling your body forward.

Common pairings

have a hunch follow a hunch hunch over

Word forms

hunched past tense, hunches plural, hunches singular

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I had a _____ she was lying, and it turned out I was right.

Etymology

Possibly a variant of "hunk," of uncertain origin; the "intuition" sense is said to come from an old superstition that touching a hunchback's hump brought luck.

Synonyms

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suspicion intuition hump hunch over hunch forward

Related words

bed suspect suspicion instinct jealousy intuition hump eff

Rhymes for hunch

inch bench conch lunch punch wench finch lynch cinch pinch bunch winch

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Frequently asked questions

What does “hunch” mean?

The word “hunch” means a feeling or guess based on instinct rather than solid evidence. In plain terms, a gut feeling that something is true, or the act of curling your body forward.

How do you pronounce “hunch”?

“Hunch” is pronounced huhnch (/hʌnt͡ʃ/ in IPA).

How do you use “hunch” in a sentence?

Here is “hunch” used in a sentence: “I had a hunch she was lying, and it turned out I was right.”

What part of speech is “hunch”?

Depending on how it is used, “hunch” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “hunch” have?

“Hunch” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a feeling or guess based on instinct rather than solid evidence.

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bed suspect suspicion instinct jealousy intuition hump eff