crunch
n. countablen. a situation where there is not enough of something important, like time or money. It also describes the short, sharp sound of something hard being crushed.
n. a critical situation involving a shortage of resources, particularly time or capital; also the characteristic sound of a brittle substance being crushed. Often used in business or technical contexts to describe intense pressure.
The team is feeling the crunch as the deadline approaches.
With the budget crunch affecting every department, we had to cancel our annual summer retreat to save costs.
The sudden credit crunch left many small businesses unable to secure the short-term loans necessary to maintain their daily operations during the slow season.
From earlier craunch, cranch, of imitative origin.
Often used in the phrase 'the crunch' to refer to a specific moment of pressure or a resource shortage.