Synonyms of crisp

crisp 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkrisp 

1

as in brittle

having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure

the bag of crisp cookies had a lot of crumbs on the bottom

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in tidy

being clean and in good order

a pretty, crisp bedspread for the guest room

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tidy
• neat
• trim
• tidied
• uncluttered
• orderly
• picked up
• shipshape
• smug
• kempt
• groomed
• immaculate
• prim
• antiseptic
• snug
• sleek
• well-groomed
• organized
• trig
• spiffy
• spotless
• dapper
• taut
• saucy
• streamlined
• spruce
• bandbox
• natty
• spick-and-span
• spic-and-span
• systematic
• rakish
• smart
• straight

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• messy
• disordered
• untidy
• disorderly
• disheveled
• unkempt
• sloppy
• slovenly
• shabby
• dirty
• dishevelled
• scruffy
• filthy
• seedy
• foul
• slipshod
• nasty
• sordid
• squalid
• mussed
• rumpled
• mussy
• sloven
• dowdy
• tumbled
• disorganized
• unsystematic
• tousled
• frowsy
• frowzy

3

as in concise

marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning

a crisp suggestion about what they could do with their boom box

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concise
• brief
• summary
• succinct
• pithy
• short
• terse
• laconic
• blunt
• compact
• curt
• elliptic
• epigrammatic
• telegraphic
• aphoristic
• monosyllabic
• compendious
• sententious
• thumbnail
• condensed
• elliptical
• capsule
• abrupt
• apothegmatic
• brusque
• meaningful
• shortened
• abbreviated
• substantial
• meaty
• brusk
• abridged
• curtailed
• snippy
• snippety
• significant
• well-turned

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• windy
• wordy
• diffuse
• verbose
• redundant
• prolix
• circuitous
• repetitious
• rambling
• enlarged
• tautological
• long-winded
• exaggerated
• expanded
• circumlocutory
• inflated
• supplemented
• embroidered
• tautologous
• pleonastic
• embellished

crisp

2 of 2

verb

as in to ripple

Related Words

• ripple
• ruffle
• crease
• fold
• pucker
• crimp
• knit
• corrugate
• pleat
• crumple
• wrinkle
• ruck
• crinkle
• furrow
• contract
• scrunch
• rumple
• muss (up)
• mess (up)

Dissimilar Words

• smooth
• flatten
• iron out
• straighten
• press
• even
• iron
• uncrumple
• unfold
• smoothen
• tidy
• neaten

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective crisp contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of crisp are brittle, fragile, frangible, and friable. While all these words mean "breaking easily," crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

crisp lettuce

When can brittle be used instead of crisp?

Although the words brittle and crisp have much in common, brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

brittle bones

When is fragile a more appropriate choice than crisp?

In some situations, the words fragile and crisp are roughly equivalent. However, fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

a fragile antique chair

When would frangible be a good substitute for crisp?

The words frangible and crisp are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

frangible stone used for paving

When could friable be used to replace crisp?

The meanings of friable and crisp largely overlap; however, friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

friable soil

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of crisp

Adjective

Today, lines snake around the block for Golden Diner’s fluffy stack; before that, the cult-object pancake was a thin, almost crêpe-like version at Chez Ma Tante, in Greenpoint, its frizzled edges crisped in oceans of clarified butter. —Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2025

For even more staff favorites, click here. August 1 One of my favorite moves in the kitchen is crisping up shelf-stable gnocchi and serving it in a simple sauce, like in this Crispy Gnocchi With Sausage and Peas or this sheet-pan style one. —The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Aug. 2025

Verb

The visuals also pop, with crisp animation and vibrant colors. —Devonne Goode, Parents, 1 Oct. 2025

My go-to fall look on crisper days will be this half zip with my tweed blazer —like this Madewell one—and denim skirt with boots, bringing a little of my classic New England Americana into my Italian style. —Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2025