as in brittle
having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure
a crumbly shortbread cookie
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crumbly
The expanse of a cookie, its crumbly craters and molten rivulets, is a playground for the pastry chef.
—
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025
But the results were papering over some crumbly performances.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Unlike the crumbly texture of an Oreo (from which the Exploremores take clear inspiration), the first bite delivered a pleasingly soft and slightly chewy texture, along with a subtle hint of marshmallow.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
Although the creaminess of the mac and cheese is strong on its own, the crumbly breakfast sausage adds another savory layer to the flavor profile.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumbly
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025
But the results were papering over some crumbly performances.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Unlike the crumbly texture of an Oreo (from which the Exploremores take clear inspiration), the first bite delivered a pleasingly soft and slightly chewy texture, along with a subtle hint of marshmallow.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 30 Sep. 2025
Although the creaminess of the mac and cheese is strong on its own, the crumbly breakfast sausage adds another savory layer to the flavor profile.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crumbly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbly
Adjective
-
Historically, a spoonful of cod liver oil was administered to treat children with rickets, a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency that results in brittle bones.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The product can damage wool fibers and leave them brittle.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Shirt dresses embody the preppy trend, combining crisp tailoring with effortless, throw-on ease.—
Gabrielle Porcaro,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
What used to feel clean and crisp now feels sterile and dated.—
Heather Bien,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Those unregulated hazardous substances include liquid waste, friable, asbestos wastes and combustion wastes.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
16 Dec. 2025
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Texture comes into play here, as well, with wispy nests of friable katayifi topping each scallop.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crumbly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbly. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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