crisp 1 of 2

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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crisp

2 of 2

verb

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

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
That said, Motorola does pack in a few worthy features, including a crisp 120Hz display, 30W fast charging, and Dolby Atmos support for loud, clear audio. Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 18 June 2025 The water’s crisp and clear — the perfect reward after the climb. Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
Verb
Unlike standard toaster ovens, both air fryer ovens and basket-style air fryers rely on a combination of high heat and convection (moving hot air around with a fan) to crisp up your food. Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 21 Feb. 2025 Their chefs are grilling on panini presses, smoking eggplant with no smoker, crisping chicken wings with no fryer. Priya Krishna, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crisp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crisp
Adjective
  • Too often, however, the systems behind it are brittle—swelling during periods of hypergrowth and collapsing under the weight of a downturn.
    Kehinde Fawumi, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • For a more intensive, wash-day treatment, consider Sutra’s hair mask packed with hyaluronic acid and plant proteins to transform dry, brittle strands after just ten minutes.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • Hughes was on pace for 92 points before he got hurt, while Hischier scored 35 goals and drove stout defensive results at a tidy $7.25 million cap hit.
    Harman Dayal, New York Times, 15 June 2025
  • Both Scott and Burns made tidy pars, Scott missing a birdie putt by inches.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • That’s compared to more concise models which required just 37.7 tokens per question.
    Simmone Shah, Time, 19 June 2025
  • The researchers found that the reasoning models generated significantly more tokens, which correlate with CO₂ emissions, than the more concise models.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • When any balance is disrupted though, the effects can ripple throughout the entire body.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 24 June 2025
  • That is rippling through school-adjacent housing markets that once saw inflated prices on the back of strong demand for better public schools.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Long story short, Shaulis made some unflattering comments about Paucek on social media.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Yes, Nuno will always be reminded about his short and unsuccessful stint at Tottenham Hotspur.
    Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Yet, this strategy stumbles when confronted with the complexity of human systems, where relationships and feedback loops defy neat separation and where interventions often yield unpredictable consequences.
    Dr. Alex Gold, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • Not mean-spirited ones—but the kind that tuck people into neat categories.
    Rabbi Jack Engel, Sun Sentinel, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • Now, the better part of two weeks after tactical Officer Krystal Rivera died in the friendly fire incident, investigators are still searching for the suspect who sparked a brief foot pursuit that ultimately led to the fatal gunfire in a Chatham apartment building.
    Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
  • Following a brief stint in public relations, their work has now appeared in lifestyle and culture publications such as Men's Health, Complex… Read More Read More On: Home Design News Phoenix Real Estate Like this article?
    Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Beyoncé suffered a wardrobe malfunction during her Cowboy Carter Tour on Thursday night (June 5), but not even having her pants fall down on stage can ruffle Queen Bey’s feathers.
    Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 6 June 2025
  • Mercury will also go head-to-head with Pluto retrograde on June 28, leaving you with no choice but to speak your truth and perhaps ruffle some feathers along the way.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Crisp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crisp. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

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