as in hissing
to make a series of short, sharp noises
The logs crackled in the fire. The leaves crackled under our feet. a crackling fire
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crackling
The best of the bunch run the gamut from crowd-pleasing interpretations of tonka bean and leather to on-the-nose odes to a crackling fireplace.
—
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2026
Ooh, Charlie is delivering that crackling energy back.
—William Earl, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
Molten reds and coppery tones swirl together to mimic the glow of a crackling fire.
—Kat Suico, InStyle, 8 Jan. 2026
But once inside, as the crackling fire quickly warms you up, there’s no better feeling after hours on the trail than dropping your backpack on the floor, taking off your boots and settling in for a few days of peaceful escape.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crackling
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2026
Ooh, Charlie is delivering that crackling energy back.
—William Earl, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
Molten reds and coppery tones swirl together to mimic the glow of a crackling fire.
—Kat Suico, InStyle, 8 Jan. 2026
But once inside, as the crackling fire quickly warms you up, there’s no better feeling after hours on the trail than dropping your backpack on the floor, taking off your boots and settling in for a few days of peaceful escape.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crackling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crackling
Verb
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Meanwhile, the Bronx Zoo in New York has revived its annual tradition of naming one of the zoo’s thousands of Madagascar hissing cockroaches for $15.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
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Why Madagascar hissing cockroaches are actually romantic Naming a roach for Valentine’s Day is a great gag, but also these critters are capable of hissing their way into your heart.—
Emma Gometz,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mystery of the dead cows was never solved, but Skeet and three other men were arrested for cattle rustling.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
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The Kohala Coast is living proof that nature is medicine, from the birdsong to the Tradewinds rustling the coconut palms to the deep blue-green waters of the Pacific lapping the shoreline.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When the time came for Alan Cumming to cease deliberations, Michael was reduced to sputtering epithets in random sequences.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
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The only constant is Mount Etna, looming off to one side, at times sputtering out smoke, ash, and short bursts of lava.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crackling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crackling. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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