crackling

Definition of cracklingnext
present participle of crackle
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

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crackling Take time in Amana for shopping and Wiener schnitzel, then drive on US-6 to Fireside Winery in Marengo for a glass of dry Cordovan by the crackling fire. — Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 12 Sep. 2026 El Eden Import Distributor recalled packages of De Todito mixed with chicharrón, also known as pork crackling, that was sent to a distributor in New Jersey and retail locations in New Jersey and Utah. — James Powel, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 The flames have three brightness settings and six crackling sound effects. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 All three plays share Maya’s signature style of blazing-fast dialogue, crackling humor, occasional lines spoken in Spanish and a quick wrap-up in under two hours. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026 Few things are as romantic as a sip of amber beside a crackling sagebrush fire while the coyotes serenade the moon. — Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026 Tables and seating are arranged around a crackling fire with torches and ambient lighting surround the venue under the open sky and stars. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Dipping into this cocoon, lit by a crackling fireplace, after meandering through the Christmas market at the Tuileries Gardens across the street is a no-brainer. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026 Quinones paused for a few seconds as a loudspeaker crackling from an LAPD helicopter circling a few streets over ordered a shooting suspect to turn themselves in. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crackling
Verb
  • Scientists previously created tiny diving suits for Madagascar hissing cockroaches that could be used in perilous search operations, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 3 Sep. 2026
  • But delivering that level of craft in a high-octane room where the hissing espresso machine competes with the bassline?
    — Carly Boers, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The brief social media clip features Gizmo rustling around inside a backpack in an indiscernible location.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The tree still stood, waiting, but no one visited, no one entered the world under her strong branches, her rustling leaves.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • His Toronto Maple Leafs, on the heels of three straight first-round playoff exits, were sputtering in November with a 9-10-4 record.
    — Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Some analysts attributed the drop-off to sputtering demand as investors moved past the company's splashy listing and took a closer look at its bottom line.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crackling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crackling. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on crackling

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster