crisp

adjective

\ ˈkrisp

crisper; crispest

Definition of crisp

(Entry 1 of 3)

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

2a : easily crumbled : brittle a crisp cracker

b : desirably firm and crunchy crisp lettuce

3a : 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

crisp

verb

crisped; crisping; crisps

Definition of crisp (Entry 2 of 3)

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

crisp

noun

Definition of crisp (Entry 3 of 3)

1a : 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

Other Words from crisp Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about crisp

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Synonyms for crisp

Synonyms: Adjective

brickle [dialect], brittle, crispy, crumbly, embrittled, flaky (also flakey), friable, short

Choose the Right Synonym for crisp

Adjective

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

Examples of crisp in a Sentence

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: Adjective

The chocolate cake is deep and moist with just a little crisp around the edges; and the strawberry glazed lacks the artificial aftertaste of many others. — Dominic Armato, azcentral, "10 best donuts in Phoenix: I tried 400, sorry Dunkin' Donuts, you didn't make the cut," 30 May 2018 The home team will need grinding play in the middle of the field, while staying crisp on attack. — Glenn Graham, baltimoresun.com, "Boys lacrosse Game of the Week: No. 3 Calvert Hall at No. 6 St. Paul's," 3 May 2018 Try to keep them about an inch apart from each other to ensure they crisp up perfectly. — Audrey Bruno, SELF, "3 Simple Ways to Cook With Asparagus," 5 Apr. 2019 Alison ran around her palatial six-bedroom house in Georgia on a crisp January night in 2016, preparing to depart the next day for a family ski trip in Colorado. — Kayla Webley Adler, Marie Claire, "I Was One Of The Top Doctors In My Field. I Was Also An Opioid Addict.," 25 Feb. 2019 Meanwhile, sprinkle bacon with black pepper, then sauté in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. — Heather Finn, Good Housekeeping, "How to Cook Acorn Squash With Maple-Bacon Drizzle," 21 Nov. 2018 Cook parsley in same skillet, in two batches, until crisp; transfer to plate with capers, adding another tablespoon oil to skillet between batches, if necessary. — Kate Merker, Country Living, "Farro-and-Tomato Salad with Crispy Capers," 10 Aug. 2018 Add the prosciutto and sauté until crisp, about 1 minute. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Asparagus still rolling in — so many reasons to love it," 10 June 2018 Cook bacon in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. — Eva Katz, BostonGlobe.com, "Recipes: Soft, crisp pancakes with rhubarb, salmon, or chocolate," 11 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

So talented chef de cuisine Lindsay McClain, who produced an overall outstanding meal, more than compensated by crisping her flavorful rice on the plancha to a tawny crunch for a soccarat that got stealthily slipped into the bottom of the pan. — Michael Klein, Philly.com, "Let's Eat: Pizza landmark comes to Bucks," 21 Mar. 2018 The salt also helps to draw out moisture, which is an obstacle that may prevent skin from crisping. — Audrey Bruno, SELF, "How to Cook Perfectly Crispy Chicken Thighs Every Time," 25 Feb. 2019 Cook until tortillas crisp further and cheese melts, about 1 minute more. — Kitty Greenwald, WSJ, "These Quesadillas Are Easy to Make, Easy to Love," 28 Sep. 2018 Recipes will typically call for oil in the 350 to 375 degrees F range in order for the breading to crisp on contact. — Francine Maroukian, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Deep Fryers—and How to Fry Anything," 14 Nov. 2018 Stale Toast stale chips and crackers for a minute or two in a regular or toaster oven to crisp them right back up. — Special To The Plain Dealer, cleveland.com, "Don't waste it: How to revive food that is stale, burned, over-salted," 18 Apr. 2018 Participants will learn how to make dough, and then use it to make pizzas with fresh mozzarella, pesto and heirloom tomatoes; grilled peach, prosciutto and balsamic vinegar; and crisped chorizo, manchego and piquillo peppers. — Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Learn how to make pizza on the grill at Sur la Table," 1 July 2018 Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, without stirring, until bottoms are browned and edges begin to crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "Korean-Style Beef and Apple Lettuce Cups," 9 Oct. 2018 Snider basically requires the re-creation of a restaurant kitchen in full-blown operation: steaks on the grill, veal stock simmering, fries crisping. — Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, "Attention foodies: 'How to Use a Knife' is about a New York chef on the edge," 14 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

During his testimony before the Senate in April, Zuckerberg marked the occasion by wearing an uncharacteristic crisp suit. — Rebecca Jennings, Vox, "11 pieces of clothing that explain 2018," 20 Dec. 2018 Her crisp, all-white ensemble featured a figure-hugging blazer with a bedazzled lapel, a button-down shirt fastened all the way to the collar, and a dramatic pair of flowy, wide-legged culottes that pooled around the actor’s feet. — Andrea Park, Allure, "Blake Lively's Low Ponytail Perfectly Complements Her Sharp White Suit at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards," 21 Aug. 2018 Menu: 1 celery root soup, 1 fine lettuces salad, 1 South Gate burger, 1 warm-bacon frisée salad, 1 warm apple crisp, 2 coffees. — Fox, Town & Country, "A Table for Mr. Fox," 21 Nov. 2012 For extra-crisp, golden skin, broil the chicken for the last few minutes of cooking time. — Multiple Authors, House Beautiful, "Herb-Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Sage," 1 Sep. 2010 Kissed with heat and honey, and finished with a cheesy crisp, these babies are made marvelous with a few simple tricks. — Mallorie Sullivan, Cincinnati.com, "Fourth of July food: Here are 9 last-minute recipes your guests will love," 3 July 2018 The tart sip combined with the sudden crisp from the wine makes this a nice, complex drink. — Paula Forbes, GQ, "What to Drink With Your Burgers This Summer," 30 June 2018 On the other hand, a salmon dish was a tad chalky, cooked just past the perfect point of moistness, despite a good crisp on the skin. — Kate Washington, sacbee, "It's not flashy or splashy, but Roseville's Ciao excels at cooking classic Italian," 8 June 2018 Grease a 1 ½- to 2-quart baking dish or make individual crisps using ramekins. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, "Rhubarb: How to cook, store, freeze the perfect pie plant," 29 May 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.