crisp

1 of 3

adjective

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
also : fresh, invigorating
crisp autumn air
a crisp white wine
d
: deftly and powerfully executed
a crisp tennis serve
e
: brisk, lively
a crisp tale of intrigue
crisp musical tempi
3
: curly, wavy
also : having close stiff or wiry curls or waves
crisply adverb
crispness noun

crisp

2 of 3

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

crisp

3 of 3

verb

crisped; crisping; crisps

transitive verb

1
: to make or keep crisp
2
: curl, crimp
3
: to cause to ripple : wrinkle

intransitive verb

1
: to become crisp
2
: curl
3
: ripple
Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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 nori is crisp and bracingly saline, the house-blend rice from Yamagata unctuous and comforting. Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2024 Walmart This muted green polish feels crisper than an early spring day. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2024 Two American classics highlight our selection of wines this week: A juicy zinfandel from California’s Amador County and a crisp pinot gris from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Two pieces that will be must-haves for any J Dilla fan are the gray Welcome to Detroit hoodie and the accompanying crisp snapback. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2024 First City Lager is a throwback — a crisp, light beer not entirely unlike the macrobrews that the craft brewing revolution initially countered. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 The singer was known for her pure and crisp voice, paired with exceptional songwriting abilities that expressed her views on politics, spirituality, history and philosophy. Jack Guy, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Cruz also offered a full family 'fit check on TikTok — including Victoria on the runway — which showed off Harper's sleek sneakers, David's crisp suit, and Cruz's own red tie that tied into Nicola's red dress. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Clocking in at an impressive 10% ABV (nearly double that of most RTDs), the drink is crisp and simple—as God intended. Karla Alindahao, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
Our indefatigable Deputy Food Editor Betty Hallock has a great feature this week on Jing Gao, founder of Fly by Jing, the condiment company known for its Sichuan chili crisp. Gao, who once lived in the corporate world as a product manager at Procter & Gamble, founded her company in 2019. Lucas Kwan Peterson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2023 Made fresh several times a week, the Student Kiss is a praline mixture consisting of truffle-nougat-noisette cream on a fine wafer crisp and then covered with dark chocolate. Yolanda Evans, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 Spicy Sesame Chile Oil Noodles Noodles and chili crisp are a dynamic duo. Anna Rodriguez, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024 Topped with tortilla crisps, this taco is refreshing and has a nice crunch. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2024 Goldfish crisps will hit retailers starting in January 2024 The Goldfish brand is taking on the potato chip world. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 6 Dec. 2023 Sargent loved color, satin, and silk, too, and favored crisp, rustling taffeta. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 11 Jan. 2024 The ingredient list included oranges, red cabbage, almonds, wonton crisps, and sliced chicken nuggets on a bed of lettuce drizzled with Honey Sesame Dressing. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2024 Chili crisp, capers and parmesan join forces to create an explosion of spicy umami flavor in this gnocchi dish. Anna Rodriguez, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024
Verb
Try pressing it and crisping it up in a pan or air fryer or use it in a miso soup. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2024 To keep them intact, the dough is simply poured and nudged into a pan with a wading pool of olive oil that will crisp the bottom and edges. Genevieve Ko, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023 Flip again, if needed, to crisp and brown the skin. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024 Gochujang Chicken Thigh Skewers Buying skin-on, bone-in thighs and deboning them for this recipe is worth it for the skin, which crisps deliciously on the grill. Ian Knauer, WSJ, 4 Jan. 2024 There’s the fragrance of mangoes ripening in Lamu Town’s friendly market, cutting through the scent of crisping samosas and salty sea air. Jeffrey Gettleman, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2023 Air fryers are small convection-like ovens that blow hot air around their insides, cooking and crisping food like chicken wings, fries and bacon. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 17 Nov. 2023 Bake in preheated oven until squash is tender and edges begin to crisp, about 40 minutes. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023 Any excess water will prevent them from crisping properly. Anna Theoktisto, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crisp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near crisp

Cite this Entry

“Crisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crisp. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crisp

1 of 3 adjective
1
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

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