crisp

adjective \ ˈkrisp \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of crisp

crisper; crispest

1 : curly, wavy; also : having close stiff or wiry curls or waves

2 a : easily crumbled : brittle

a crisp cracker

b : desirably firm and crunchy

crisp lettuce

3 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 : brisk, lively

a crisp tale of intrigue

crisp musical tempi

d : briskly cold

crisp winter weather

; also : fresh, invigorating

crisp autumn air

a crisp white wine

e : deftly and powerfully executed

a crisp tennis serve

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crisply

adverb

—

crispness

noun

See crisp defined for English-language learners

See crisp defined for kids

Examples of crisp in a Sentence

I put on a crisp shirt and tie.
The stereo's sound is crisp and clear.

Recent Examples of crisp from the Web

What really interested me, though, was the attention paid to Zuckerberg’s natty blue suit, crisp white shirt, and Facebook blue tie.

— adam lashinsky, Fortune, "Mark Zuckerberg's Natty Apparel and Other Takeaways From a Day on Capitol Hill," 11 Apr. 2018
For a classic look that will impress your boss and your date go with a crisp white dress shirt anchored by a tie, socks, and shoes in strong shades of black or brown.

— liza corsillo, GQ, "This Navy Suit Could Be the Sexiest Thing You Own," 11 Apr. 2018
Some of the images are crisp; others quiver enough to make someone beg for Dramamine.

— lauren etter, Bloomberg.com, "America’s Virtual Border Wall Is a 1,954-Mile-Long Money Pit," 9 Apr. 2018
Reynolds kept things classic in a navy windowpane suit, which was offset by a crisp white shirt and brown accessories for a modern slant on 1950s fashion.

— edward barsamian, Vogue, "Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Suit Up Together," 3 Apr. 2018
Underneath was a crisp white T-shirt that perfectly matched her bright white low-top sneakers from Puma.

— avery matera, Teen Vogue, "Selena Gomez's Post-Justin Bieber Breakup Canadian Tuxedo Is Giving Me Life," 19 Mar. 2018
Urey left home every day at 5:30 a.m. in a crisp T-shirt and creased slacks, dirty laundry under his arm.

— lee jenkins, SI.com, "Smooth Operator: Dwane Casey Is Still Ironing out Every Wrinkle He Can Find," 6 Mar. 2018
Every model walking in the finale wore a crisp white button-down shirt with a taffeta skirt and contrasting wide belt.

— lauren alexis fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Finale at Carolina Herrera Was A Beautiful Tribute To The Designer's Signature Look," 13 Feb. 2018
Herrera is the epitome of her brand with her perfectly coiffed helmet of blonde hair, red lips and signature crisp white button-down shirts, which when worn with cigarette pants or skirts became synonymous with American style.

— booth moore, The Hollywood Reporter, "Carolina Herrera Says Farewell; Ralph Lauren Says...Ahoy?," 13 Feb. 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of crisp

Middle English, from Old English, from Latin crispus; akin to Welsh crych curly

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

crisp Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of crisp

fragile, frangible, brittle, crisp, friable mean breaking easily. fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

- a fragile antique chair

frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

- frangible stone used for paving

brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

- brittle bones

crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

- crisp lettuce

friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

- friable soil

crisp

verb

Definition of crisp

transitive verb

1 : curl, crimp

2 : to cause to ripple : wrinkle

3 : to make or keep crisp

intransitive verb

1 : curl

2 : ripple

3 : to become crisp

See crisp defined for English-language learners

Examples of crisp in a Sentence

Crisp the celery in ice water.

Recent Examples of crisp from the Web

Tofu Forget tofu sticking to the pan and not crisping up.

— NBC News, "8 meals you didn't know you could cook in an air fryer," 6 Apr. 2018
Then the top of the crust is spread with apricot preserves, which seep into the dough and keep a layer of it soft like Oooey Gooey Butter Cake, even as the bottom crisps up.

— emma wartzman, Bon Appetit, "Ilse’s Gorgeous Apple Cake Recipe Won Our Reader Recipe Contest by a Landslide," 4 Apr. 2018
Without shielding, even a device that is switched off will be crisped by the power surging through it.

— joe pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Hollywood Has No Idea How Nukes Work," 2 Apr. 2018
After resting, turn the oven up and return the lamb to the oven to crisp the outside.

— karoline boehm goodnick, BostonGlobe.com, "Recipe: Juicy, rosy leg of lamb, rubbed with a fresh herb and spice paste, graces the Easter table," 26 Mar. 2018
Sprinkle with Parmesan mix, plus the pumpkin seeds, then drizzle with oil, and broil until topping is crisped and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

— maureen fitzgerald, Philly.com, "Cooking students ready for their starring roles," 21 Mar. 2018
Two discs of paper-thin pita bread are spread with minced lamb, then crisped on a griddle.

— tom hanchett, charlotteobserver, "The light rail is about to provide a path to Middle East flavors | Charlotte Observer," 14 Mar. 2018
Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken, skin-side down, to crisp the skin.

— terri milligan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The versatile chickpea: For all kinds of reasons, this is a legume to love," 2 Mar. 2018
Pour three to four 1/4-cupfuls of batter on the heated skillet to form pancakes and cook until the tops bubble and the edges begin to crisp.

— Country Living, "Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Pancakes," 11 Apr. 2011

First Known Use of crisp

14th century

crisp

noun

Definition of crisp

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

See crisp defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of crisp from the Web

But the clear winner is pastry chef Katie Hamilburg’s baba au rhum, a boozy little cake that arrives in a pool of caramel with bananas and a granola-esque crisp.

— devra first, BostonGlobe.com, "Dinner in an almost classical mode, at Mooncusser Fish House," 9 Apr. 2018
Desserts include a warm chocolate brownie and warm apple crisp.

— donald liebenson, Lake County News-Sun, "Greenwood in Highwood: Suburban hang with a city vibe," 4 Apr. 2018
Highlights include Israeli eggs, made with a sunny side up egg, feta cheese, cilantro, rice and a toast crisp, and Frankfurt skillet cakes, which are fluffy, iron skillet-baked pancakes.

— grace wong, chicagotribune.com, "Longacre Dining Room opens in Uptown, plus more restaurant news," 19 Mar. 2018
Po Chicken offers plates of wings ($8.99-$9.99) or whole chickens ($15.99-$17.99), broken down, battered and fried to a delicate crisp and piled into a mountain on a platter.

— dominic armato, azcentral, "Eat Here First: 3 new restaurants to try before everybody else does," 13 Mar. 2018
Broil bread slices until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

— woman's day kitchen, Woman's Day, "Cheesy Artichoke Toasts," 7 Mar. 2018
But most fun among the starters might be the fried wontons ($4.95), crisp folded triangles filled with pork, which my Vietnamese friend teaches me to dab with peanut sauce and wrap in Thai basil, mint and lettuce.

— spencer caldwell, courant.com, "Vietnam Restaurant, West Hartford," 6 Mar. 2018
Transfer to a baking dish and bake in preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes or until carrots are tender-crisp.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Roasted Spiced Carrots with Golden Raisins and Almonds," 19 Jan. 2018
Sticky pork ribs worked, somehow finding a balance between a sugary caramel glaze and petite ribs that went from the sous vide bath to the deep fryer and emerged both tender and crisp, plated over rice enriched with eggs and edamame.

— mike sutter, San Antonio Express-News, "Review: Hanzo puts a stylish edge on drinks and dinner," 15 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of crisp

14th century

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

CRISP Defined for English Language Learners

crisp

adjective

Definition of crisp for English Language Learners

: dry, hard, and easily broken
: pleasantly firm and making a sharp sound when chewed or crushed
: clean, smooth, and somewhat stiff

crisp

verb

Definition of crisp for English Language Learners

: to make (something) crisp or to become crisp

crisp

noun

Definition of crisp for English Language Learners

: a thin, hard, and usually salty piece of food
: a dessert made of cooked fruit with a sweet, dry topping

CRISP Defined for Kids

crisp

adjective \ ˈkrisp \

Definition of crisp for Students

crisper; crispest

1 : being thin, hard, and easily crumbled

crisp potato chips

2 : pleasantly firm and fresh

crisp celery

3 : being clear and brief

a crisp reply

4 : pleasantly cool and invigorating : brisk

a crisp autumn day

5 : having clear details

a crisp photo

—

crisply

adverb

—

crispness

noun

crisp

verb

Definition of crisp for Students

crisped; crisping

: to make or keep something crispy or fresh

Learn More about crisp

See words that rhyme with crisp Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for crisp Spanish Central: Translation of crisp Nglish: Translation of crisp for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of crisp for Arabic speakers

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crisp

Definition of crisp

crisply

crispness

Examples of crisp in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of crisp

crisp Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of crisp

crisp

Definition of crisp

Examples of crisp in a Sentence

Recent Examples of crisp from the Web

First Known Use of crisp

crisp

Definition of crisp

Recent Examples of crisp from the Web

First Known Use of crisp

Other Food Terms

Phrases Related to CRISP

Related Phrases

CRISP Defined for English Language Learners

crisp

Definition of crisp for English Language Learners

crisp

Definition of crisp for English Language Learners

crisp

Definition of crisp for English Language Learners

CRISP Defined for Kids

crisp

Definition of crisp for Students

crisply

crispness

crisp

Definition of crisp for Students

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