crumbly

adjective

crum·​bly ˈkrəm-b(ə-)lē How to pronounce crumbly (audio)
crumblier; crumbliest
: easily crumbled : friable
crumbly soil
crumbliness noun

Examples of crumbly in a Sentence

a crumbly shortbread cookie
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The drink features cold brew coffee, oat milk, and pumpkin pie syrup topped with cold foam, caramel sauce, and a crumbly graham cracker topping. Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025 Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or forks until the mixture is crumbly. Gretchen McKay, Boston Herald, 27 Aug. 2025 Take your time perusing the pastry case, where Velasquez shows off a remarkable spread of pan dulce that includes flaky guava queso empanadas and crumbly pecan besitos. Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 Apple slices and filling are sandwiched between the crumbly exterior. Sofia Joseph, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crumbly

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crumbly was in 1523

Cite this Entry

“Crumbly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crumbly. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

crumbly

adjective
crum·​bly -b(ə-)lē How to pronounce crumbly (audio)
crumblier; crumbliest
: easily crumbled

More from Merriam-Webster on crumbly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!