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crisper; crispest
1
a
: easily crumbled : brittle
a crisp cracker
b
: desirably firm and crunchy
crisp lettuce
2
a
: notably sharp, clean-cut, and clear
a crisp illustration
also
: concise and to the point
a crisp reply
b
: noticeably neat
crisp new clothes
c
: briskly cold
crisp winter weather
d
: deftly and powerfully executed
a crisp tennis serve
crisply
adverb
crispness
noun
plural crisps
1
a
: something crisp or brittle
burned to a crisp
rye crisps
b
chiefly British
: potato chip
—usually used in plural
2
: a baked dessert of fruit with crumb topping
apple crisp
crisped; crisping; crisps
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Adjective
I put on a crisp shirt and tie.
The stereo's sound is crisp and clear.
Verb
Crisp the celery in ice water.
Recent Examples on the Web
Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 16 Mar. 2023
Nothing is crisp in Siner’s oils, which are rendered in a style that’s unbridled and seemingly improvisational, yet easily legible.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023
Grilled in a specially sized skillet or a simple foil dish, provoleta is often topped with oregano and should be slightly crisp on the outside yet melted on the inside.
—Sorrel Moseley-williams, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023
There are flavors of tangerine and mandarin with a hint of lemon-lime in the palate and a crisp, clean finish.
—Mike Desimone And Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2023
The touchscreen is responsive, and the 1280p display offers crisp photo quality.
—Brenda Stolyar
Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 11 Feb. 2023
Cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until sausage is crisp and brown.
—Gretchen Mckay, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2023
The Fiano is crisp and vibrant with lemon and pear aromas, a perfect pairing for oysters, grilled fish, and risotto.
—Erica Duecy, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023
This was inspired by Great Notion’s Juice Box Double IPA but has a twist with lager yeast for a super smooth mouthfeel and crisp finish.
—oregonlive, 3 Feb. 2023
Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Mar. 2023
The plate's topped off with a Parmesan crisp snuggled between the meatballs featuring a Fire Flower printed on the surface, letting customers know there's some chili flakes in there, too.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2023
The potato wedges came out just as well with this pan, coming out with a delicious crisp, and the pan was very easy to clean after use, looking brand new.
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2023
An eight-minute walk away, the Greek restaurant Kiki’s serves an almighty block of saganaki that’s been rolled in filo pastry, fried to a golden crisp, and drizzled with honey.
—Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 2 Feb. 2023
Properly bathed, the chicken is then baked to a golden crisp, with an end result that delights with its perfect balance of sweet, savory and salty.
—cleveland, 24 Jan. 2023
The chunks of crisp and apples were hot and topped with vanilla ice cream, then drizzled in caramel sauce.
—Margie Goldsmith, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2022
The original story of the Big Tex fire, published Oct. 19, 2012, began with these words: Big Tex, the beloved 52-foot-tall cowboy who’s watched over the State Fair of Texas for decades, caught on fire Friday morning and was quickly burnt to a crisp.
—Michael Hogue, Dallas News, 19 Oct. 2022
The morning stayed sunny for Tetrick’s funeral with a slight crisp to the fall air in Cleveland.
—Kaylee Remington, cleveland, 26 Nov. 2022
ABC News, 10 Feb. 2023
Beets here are baked unpeeled, sliced very thin in order to crisp in the oven.
—Chris Morris, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Feb. 2023
This is typically medium or medium low heat, though ever stove is different. Be sure to stir your onions frequently and lower the temperature if your onions begin to crisp.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 12 Jan. 2023
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until they are softened and just beginning to crisp around the edges.
—Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022
Use your air fryer to crisp cauliflower then toss in our spicy buffalo sauce.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2023
To crisp the potatoes, run the baking dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes, then grab a big kitchen spoon and dig in.
—Sally Pasley Vargas, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Jan. 2023
Unlike other parts of the bird, chicken thighs won’t dry out in the intense heat required to crisp the skin.
—Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 18 Jan. 2023
Turn the broiler on and broil the shrimp 20 to 30 seconds to crisp the shrimp.
—cleveland, 22 Nov. 2022
See More
Adjective
The wedge shape that is part of the generic C-car design has been camouflaged with lines that are crisp and upright.
—Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 16 Mar. 2023
Nothing is crisp in Siner’s oils, which are rendered in a style that’s unbridled and seemingly improvisational, yet easily legible.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023
Grilled in a specially sized skillet or a simple foil dish, provoleta is often topped with oregano and should be slightly crisp on the outside yet melted on the inside.
—Sorrel Moseley-williams, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023
There are flavors of tangerine and mandarin with a hint of lemon-lime in the palate and a crisp, clean finish.
—Mike Desimone And Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2023
The touchscreen is responsive, and the 1280p display offers crisp photo quality.
—Brenda Stolyar
Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 11 Feb. 2023
Cook, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until sausage is crisp and brown.
—Gretchen Mckay, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 2023
The Fiano is crisp and vibrant with lemon and pear aromas, a perfect pairing for oysters, grilled fish, and risotto.
—Erica Duecy, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023
This was inspired by Great Notion’s Juice Box Double IPA but has a twist with lager yeast for a super smooth mouthfeel and crisp finish.
—oregonlive, 3 Feb. 2023
Noun
Made from chunks of chicken breast that get breaded and fried to a golden crisp, Whatachick'n Bites made their debut in 2012.
—Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Mar. 2023
The plate's topped off with a Parmesan crisp snuggled between the meatballs featuring a Fire Flower printed on the surface, letting customers know there's some chili flakes in there, too.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 17 Feb. 2023
The potato wedges came out just as well with this pan, coming out with a delicious crisp, and the pan was very easy to clean after use, looking brand new.
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 24 Feb. 2023
An eight-minute walk away, the Greek restaurant Kiki’s serves an almighty block of saganaki that’s been rolled in filo pastry, fried to a golden crisp, and drizzled with honey.
—Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 2 Feb. 2023
Properly bathed, the chicken is then baked to a golden crisp, with an end result that delights with its perfect balance of sweet, savory and salty.
—cleveland, 24 Jan. 2023
The chunks of crisp and apples were hot and topped with vanilla ice cream, then drizzled in caramel sauce.
—Margie Goldsmith, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2022
The original story of the Big Tex fire, published Oct. 19, 2012, began with these words: Big Tex, the beloved 52-foot-tall cowboy who’s watched over the State Fair of Texas for decades, caught on fire Friday morning and was quickly burnt to a crisp.
—Michael Hogue, Dallas News, 19 Oct. 2022
The morning stayed sunny for Tetrick’s funeral with a slight crisp to the fall air in Cleveland.
—Kaylee Remington, cleveland, 26 Nov. 2022
Verb
Add the shredded pork and press down to crisp up, without disturbing for about 5-6 minutes, or until the bottom side is golden.
—ABC News, 10 Feb. 2023
Beets here are baked unpeeled, sliced very thin in order to crisp in the oven.
—Chris Morris, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Feb. 2023
This is typically medium or medium low heat, though ever stove is different. Be sure to stir your onions frequently and lower the temperature if your onions begin to crisp.
—Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 12 Jan. 2023
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until they are softened and just beginning to crisp around the edges.
—Dallas News, 30 Nov. 2022
Use your air fryer to crisp cauliflower then toss in our spicy buffalo sauce.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2023
To crisp the potatoes, run the baking dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes, then grab a big kitchen spoon and dig in.
—Sally Pasley Vargas, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Jan. 2023
Unlike other parts of the bird, chicken thighs won’t dry out in the intense heat required to crisp the skin.
—Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, 18 Jan. 2023
Turn the broiler on and broil the shrimp 20 to 30 seconds to crisp the shrimp.
—cleveland, 22 Nov. 2022
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crisp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Old English, from Latin crispus; akin to Welsh crych curly
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of crisp was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing crisp
Dictionary Entries Near crisp
Cite this Entry
“Crisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crisp. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
crisp
1 of 3 adjective1
a
: being thin and hard and easily crumbled
crisp crackers
b
: pleasantly firm and crunchy
crisp lettuce
2
a
: having sharp distinct outlines
a crisp illustration
b
: being clear and brief
a crisp reply
c
: fresh and neat
a crisp housedress
d
: being quick and lively
a crisp performance
a crisp tale of adventure
3
: pleasantly cool and invigorating
a crisp autumn day
crisply
adverb
crispness
noun
crisp
2 of 3 verb
: to make or become crisp
crisper
noun
crisp
3 of 3 noun
: something crisp or brittle
burned to a crisp
More from Merriam-Webster on crisp
Nglish: Translation of crisp for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of crisp for Arabic Speakers
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