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
Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
Over a crackling line through their headsets came the small, desperate, confused voice of a child—a five-year-old girl called Hind Rajab—pleading with someone to come and get her.
—Olivia Marks, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2025
Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, the rover's SuperCam microphone also picked up the sounds of faint crackles and mini-sonic booms, marking the first clear recording of electrical discharge inside a Martian dust storm, according to a statement from NASA.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crackle
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Verb
Its songs are dark, accented by the sounds of crackling static, or of locks breaking, or of doors opening.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025
Over a crackling line through their headsets came the small, desperate, confused voice of a child—a five-year-old girl called Hind Rajab—pleading with someone to come and get her.
—Olivia Marks, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2025
Noun
Clearing right-of-way strips can result in the loss of trees and native vegetation; crackles, hisses and humming can be heard nearby especially during periods of high humidity; and farm fields and animal habitat can be affected by construction activities.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, the rover's SuperCam microphone also picked up the sounds of faint crackles and mini-sonic booms, marking the first clear recording of electrical discharge inside a Martian dust storm, according to a statement from NASA.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crackle
Cite this Entry
“Crackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackle. Accessed 25 Dec. 2025.
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