crackled; crackling
ˈkra-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to make small sharp sudden repeated noises
the fire crackles on the hearth
b
: to show animation : sparkle
the essays crackle with wit
: to crush or crack with snapping noises
cracklingly
adverb
1
a
: the noise of repeated small cracks or reports
b
2
: a network of fine cracks on an otherwise smooth surface
Examples of crackle in a Sentence
Verb
The logs crackled in the fire.
The leaves crackled under our feet.
Recent Examples on the Web
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Guests tapped the crackling candy into their mouths and splashed a shot of bourbon over it, creating a surprising combination of taste and feel.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024
The air crackled with a latent energy, and some kind of pulsating sound was emanating from the electric wires above my head, or maybe from the buildings themselves.
—Karen Hao, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2024
The tiny space, which opened near downtown Oakland in late 2023, pulses with body-grooving tunes and is lit mysteriously with color-shifting chandeliers and silently crackling plasma balls.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2024
Fact-Checking 'The Crown' — How Much of Season 5 Is True and What Is Complete Fiction?
Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell's crackling chemistry in Netflix's The Diplomat was just one element that landed the series on the Globes' radar.
—Lanford Beard, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
Walkie-talkies crackled, signaling the arrival of the former president.
—Michael Rothfeld Emily Woo Zeller Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
The overnight ferry from Surat Thani province was about to arrive at Koh Tao, a popular tourist destination off the Thai coast, when one of the passengers suddenly heard a crackling sound and smelled smoke.
—TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The humor is deadpan and the fights feel deadly in a way that channels a very 21st century, post-John Wick style of snap, crackle and pow.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The only time sparks fly are when that restorative tanning bed crackles and sputters.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024
The crackle of the crunch on the crust is audible, giving way to a center that’s slightly chewy but mostly air.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
The crackle of vinyl runs implacably through his music like rain crinkling on trash bags, and, from the silence, snatches of breakbeat and fearsome industrial techno burst forward with fierce energy.
—Daniel Bromfield, SPIN, 13 Mar. 2024
The kitchen deploys just enough truffle oil to evoke the earth in the dumplings, plus shards of baked parmesan for some crackle.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
The final cat-and-mouse scene between the measured Schreiber and the unbreakable Ryan crackles with intensity as the duo stalk each other on the stage.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Overall, the panels are affordable and the subtle textured surface crackles, lend an air of sophistication.
—Michelle Duncan, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024
Swank, meanwhile, crackles with energy but lets the cracks show in the nights when Sharon has only her regrets to keep her company.
—Jen Yamato, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
But what makes the film snap, crackle and pop — literally and figuratively — is Sánchez’s remarkably creative drumming.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Guests tapped the crackling candy into their mouths and splashed a shot of bourbon over it, creating a surprising combination of taste and feel.
—Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024
The air crackled with a latent energy, and some kind of pulsating sound was emanating from the electric wires above my head, or maybe from the buildings themselves.
—Karen Hao, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2024
The tiny space, which opened near downtown Oakland in late 2023, pulses with body-grooving tunes and is lit mysteriously with color-shifting chandeliers and silently crackling plasma balls.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2024
Fact-Checking 'The Crown' — How Much of Season 5 Is True and What Is Complete Fiction?
Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell's crackling chemistry in Netflix's The Diplomat was just one element that landed the series on the Globes' radar.
—Lanford Beard, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
Walkie-talkies crackled, signaling the arrival of the former president.
—Michael Rothfeld Emily Woo Zeller Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024
The overnight ferry from Surat Thani province was about to arrive at Koh Tao, a popular tourist destination off the Thai coast, when one of the passengers suddenly heard a crackling sound and smelled smoke.
—TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
The humor is deadpan and the fights feel deadly in a way that channels a very 21st century, post-John Wick style of snap, crackle and pow.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024
Noun
Jazz not only cut through the crackle of surface noise but also thrived on it.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The only time sparks fly are when that restorative tanning bed crackles and sputters.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024
The crackle of the crunch on the crust is audible, giving way to a center that’s slightly chewy but mostly air.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024
The crackle of vinyl runs implacably through his music like rain crinkling on trash bags, and, from the silence, snatches of breakbeat and fearsome industrial techno burst forward with fierce energy.
—Daniel Bromfield, SPIN, 13 Mar. 2024
The kitchen deploys just enough truffle oil to evoke the earth in the dumplings, plus shards of baked parmesan for some crackle.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024
The final cat-and-mouse scene between the measured Schreiber and the unbreakable Ryan crackles with intensity as the duo stalk each other on the stage.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Overall, the panels are affordable and the subtle textured surface crackles, lend an air of sophistication.
—Michelle Duncan, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024
Swank, meanwhile, crackles with energy but lets the cracks show in the nights when Sharon has only her regrets to keep her company.
—Jen Yamato, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crackle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near crackle
Cite this Entry
“Crackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackle. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.
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