crisp 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkrisp How to pronounce crisp (audio)
Definition of crispnext
1
as in brittle
having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure the bag of crisp cookies had a lot of crumbs on the bottom

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2
as in tidy
being clean and in good order a pretty, crisp bedspread for the guest room

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3
as in concise
marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning a crisp suggestion about what they could do with their boom box

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crisp

2 of 2

verb

as in to ripple

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How does the adjective crisp contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of crisp are brittle, fragile, frangible, and friable. While all these words mean "breaking easily," crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

crisp lettuce

When can brittle be used instead of crisp?

Although the words brittle and crisp have much in common, brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

brittle bones

When is fragile a more appropriate choice than crisp?

In some situations, the words fragile and crisp are roughly equivalent. However, fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

a fragile antique chair

When would frangible be a good substitute for crisp?

The words frangible and crisp are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

frangible stone used for paving

When could friable be used to replace crisp?

The meanings of friable and crisp largely overlap; however, friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

friable soil

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crisp
Adjective
Plus, the homemade breadcrumb crisps up beautifully in the oven to make a crunchy topping. —Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2024 Toss with some of the reduced basting juices, and then grill or broil at high heat until the meat begins to crisp and caramelize. —Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Verb
Then Stephen Colbert comes along, and pretty quickly established himself as a precise, crisp, witty political satirist, and often his target has been the current administration. —Peter White, Deadline, 25 July 2025 Some describe its texture as crisp on the outside and airy and fluffy on the inside. —Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for crisp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crisp
  1. brittle
  2. tidy
  3. concise
  4. ripple
  5. short
  6. neat
  7. brief
  8. ruffle
Adjective
  • Whether your hair is naturally dry or parched from excessive color treatments and heat styling, brittle strands are a stubborn bummer.
    — Annie Blackman, Glamour, 14 July 2025
  • Models that aren’t trained that way—like early LLMs trained mainly with vanilla imitation learning—tend to be brittle and error-prone.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2025
Definition of brittle
Adjective
  • Of course, those who steeled themselves and bought into the selloff have seen a tidy profit.
    — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • According to Sheriff Nettleton, Dal las was clean and kept a tidy camp.
    — Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 17 July 2025
Definition of tidy
Adjective
  • Draft concise speaker notes, of a maximum length of 40 words, to accompany each slide.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
  • Those include developing a clear and concise framework of the city’s role in disaster response, creating a city-specific recovery plan, clarifying the roles of the mayor’s office and City Council and updating disaster communication plan, policies and training.
    — Jaelyn Rodriguez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 July 2025
Definition of concise
Verb
  • The arch is perched on a cliff edge, so its smooth, rounded shape perfectly frames the view of layered canyons rippling to the horizon.
    — AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 7 July 2025
  • The 2021 microchip-shortage also has rippled into the used market.
    — Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 7 July 2025
Definition of ripple
Adjective
  • For beginners, Bravo recommends starting with short sessions and using a handle for support while your body adapts.
    — Jordan Galloway, SELF, 15 July 2025
  • Along the way, people asked him to orchestrate short pieces, then conduct some sessions.
    — George Bradt, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of short
Adjective
  • Sean's going to give you the set-up on Cboe stock, which has been moving in a tightly wound, neat little uptrend all summer long.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 24 July 2025
  • The finish is medium length, with lingering notes of nutmeg and soft rye spices—an excellent rye for cocktails or sipping neat.
    — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of neat
Adjective
  • The scene grew chaotic after immigration agents tried to arrest Baraka for trespassing, and McIver's elbows appeared to make brief contact with an immigration officer.
    — Sarah N. Lynch, USA Today, 23 July 2025
  • Topline Actor Ike Barinholtz is in talks to portray the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, in an upcoming comedy-drama movie that will reportedly center on the brief ousting of billionaire Sam Altman from the helm of OpenAI in 2023.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of brief
Verb
  • Many guests followed this M.O., while some decided to ruffle some feathers with outfits that were the epitome of fantasy.
    — Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 7 July 2025
  • Despite the bird occasionally flapping its wings and ruffling its feathers, Cardi kept her composure and smiled with every flash of the camera.
    — Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 7 July 2025
Definition of ruffle

Browse Nearby Words

crisis
crisp
crisped
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Cite this Entry

“Crisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crisp. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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