Synonyms of crumbly

crumbly

adjective

ˈkrəm-b(ə-)lē 

as in brittle

having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure

a crumbly shortbread cookie

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brittle
• crisp
• friable
• flaky
• crisped
• crispy
• short
• fragile
• brickle
• crunchy
• crusty
• embrittled
• delicate
• crackly
• breakable
• crispened

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elastic
• flexible
• resilient
• pliable
• strong
• tough
• sturdy
• pliant

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of crumbly

Banana peels break down into a rich, crumbly compost packed with potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium that roses love. — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026

But for foods that are more crumbly and less stain-y, Miss Manners finds leather (or a stain-resistant slippery equivalent) a helpful material for getting things to slide right to the floor. — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2026

Slices of cold roast beef, beautiful and rare, come attended by a snowy blob of properly sinus-clearing horseradish cream, with a pickled black walnut on top like the cherry on a sundae and a crumbly wedge of cheddar. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 17 May 2026

But where limestone is crumbly and opaque, nacre’s toughness and light-bending properties come from silklike proteins that weave among the layers, holding them in place while providing enough elasticity to absorb the shock of a fracture. — Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026