Word
crutch
US/ˈkɹətʃ/
UK/kɹˈʌtʃ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a piece of equipment used to help you walk when you have an injury. It is also a word for something you rely on to help you do a job, like a tool or a habit.
n. a device used to support the weight of the body during walking; by extension, a person or thing that provides support or assistance in a particular situation.
Examples
“He used a walking crutch after his leg surgery.”
“The team relied on a single crutch to keep the project moving forward while they waited for the new software to arrive.”
“While the initial crutch of the assistant's expertise was necessary to launch the product, the company eventually had to develop its own internal systems to maintain long-term growth.”
Examples
simple
“He used a walking crutch after his leg surgery.”
contextual
“The team relied on a single crutch to keep the project moving forward while they waited for the new software to arrive.”
complex
“While the initial crutch of the assistant's expertise was necessary to launch the product, the company eventually had to develop its own internal systems to maintain long-term growth.”
Real-World Examples
“The slight 2026 update is that, in what’s increasingly becoming a lazy crutch for screenwriters, AI is an important weapon.” “Requiring assistance from her mum just to get in and out of the shower, she would watch that year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on crutches.” Etymology
From Middle English crucche, from Old English cryċċ (“crutch, staff”), from Proto-West Germanic krukkju, from Proto-Germanic krukjō (“crutch, staff”), from Proto-Indo-European grewg- (“wrinkle, bend”), from Proto-Indo-European ger- (“to turn, bend”). Cognate with Scots curche, crutch (“crutch, stilts”), Dutch kruk (“crutch”), Low German krukke, Krück (“crutch”), German Krücke (“crutch”), Swedish krycka (“crutch”). Latin crucia, crucca, croccia, crocia (“crutch”), and its descendants are ultimately from the Germanic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/crutch