as in brittle
having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure
a crumbly shortbread cookie
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Recent Examples of crumbly
Using a wooden spoon, stir until a crumbly dough is formed.
—
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Brandon’s dish looks incredibly dramatic with the nearly black potatoes and the crumbly meringue.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
In America, scones are usually triangular, err on the crumbly and dense side, are loaded with mix-ins, and may be savory or sweet.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Feb. 2026
Because the local stone can be crumbly, flexible walking shoes are often better than stiff trekking boots.
—Paul Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumbly
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Brandon’s dish looks incredibly dramatic with the nearly black potatoes and the crumbly meringue.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
In America, scones are usually triangular, err on the crumbly and dense side, are loaded with mix-ins, and may be savory or sweet.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Feb. 2026
Because the local stone can be crumbly, flexible walking shoes are often better than stiff trekking boots.
—Paul Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumbly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbly
Adjective
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Pebble trays are especially useful in dryer climates or during the winter, when your indoor heating can cause the air in your home to turn dry and brittle.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
29 Apr. 2026
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Pure ceramics are strong but brittle.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The extra surface area allowed each patty to develop more browning, resulting in a delicately crisp exterior.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 May 2026
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Bake in center of oven until fruit is cooked through and pastry is crisp and golden, about 40 minutes.—
Judy Bart Kancigor,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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However, the fragile and friable nature of aged amber likely posed a significant challenge to its removal.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Those unregulated hazardous substances include liquid waste, friable, asbestos wastes and combustion wastes.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crumbly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbly. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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