English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun

hunch

huhnch
noun
1
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
1
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

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “hunch” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

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.

Rhymes for hunch

See all rhymes for hunch →
Definitions: FreeDict original editorial