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
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
Food cooks over the crackling flames of a live-fire hearth at Ardor Breads and Provisions.
—Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024
To peel eggs, the American Egg Board advises gently tapping each egg on a countertop until the shell is finely crackled all over.
—Liz Biro, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Mar. 2024
When a monster lurches from the thicket in Dragon’s Dogma 2, which arrives on Friday, the game crackles with the cadence of its fighting forebears: the swing of a sword — bang — followed by bone-crunching pow.
—Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
True to form, this sandwich crackles under tooth, down to the very last bite.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
Dave Christensen woke around 2 a.m. Feb. 5 to the sound of crackling outside his bedroom window and then what sounded like an explosion.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024
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
Shot around the time when protests broke out nationwide over the fate of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for not wearing her hijab properly, Cake crackles with the valiant, liberational energy of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, an attitude baked right into its bones.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024
Verb
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
Food cooks over the crackling flames of a live-fire hearth at Ardor Breads and Provisions.
—Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024
To peel eggs, the American Egg Board advises gently tapping each egg on a countertop until the shell is finely crackled all over.
—Liz Biro, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Mar. 2024
When a monster lurches from the thicket in Dragon’s Dogma 2, which arrives on Friday, the game crackles with the cadence of its fighting forebears: the swing of a sword — bang — followed by bone-crunching pow.
—Lewis Gordon, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
True to form, this sandwich crackles under tooth, down to the very last bite.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
Dave Christensen woke around 2 a.m. Feb. 5 to the sound of crackling outside his bedroom window and then what sounded like an explosion.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024
Noun
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
Shot around the time when protests broke out nationwide over the fate of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for not wearing her hijab properly, Cake crackles with the valiant, liberational energy of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, an attitude baked right into its bones.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 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 23 Apr. 2024.
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