CRISP Synonyms: 176 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

crisp 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkrisp

Definition of crisp next

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tidy

being clean and in good order a pretty, crisp bedspread for the guest room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crisp

2 of 2

verb

as in to ripple

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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

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 crisp

Adjective

This time around, the journalist was joined by Erdem Moralioglu—who was poised in a sharp navy outfit with crisp white sneakers for their candid chat inside the museum’s soaring Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium. —

Aaron Royce, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026 This look is the definition of business on the top, party on the bottom with its knee-high boots, textured miniskirt, and crisp white button-down. —

Samantha Brash, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026

Verb

Brussels sprouts involve crisping up pancetta and chopping a wealth of hazelnuts. —

Matthew Korfhage, Wired News, 18 Nov. 2025 The dry brine also helps crisp the skin during cooking. —

Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 13 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crisp

Recent Examples of Synonyms for crisp

Adjective

Traditional robotics has addressed this by separating locomotion and manipulation into distinct controllers linked by state machines, resulting in slow, brittle, and unnatural behavior.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
It's typically dried rather than eaten raw, with a brittle shell and stringy pulp that's traditionally cracked open and steeped to make a mildly sweet, herbal tea.

— Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Definition of brittle

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“Crisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crisp. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

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Last Updated: 30 Jan 2026 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of crisp

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