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
This crumbly, salty aged cheese, made with either goat’s or cow’s milk, adds a sharp, salty flavor to dishes.
—
Rick Bayless, Midwest Living, 13 May 2026
Here are details on crumbly cotija cheeses that instantly elevate savory dishes, and the tough, chewy crumbles to avoid.
—Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
But where limestone is crumbly and opaque, nacre’s toughness and light-bending properties come from silklike proteins that weave among the layers, holding them in place while providing enough elasticity to absorb the shock of a fracture.
—Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026
Using a wooden spoon, stir until a crumbly dough is formed.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumbly
Rick Bayless, Midwest Living, 13 May 2026
Here are details on crumbly cotija cheeses that instantly elevate savory dishes, and the tough, chewy crumbles to avoid.
—Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
But where limestone is crumbly and opaque, nacre’s toughness and light-bending properties come from silklike proteins that weave among the layers, holding them in place while providing enough elasticity to absorb the shock of a fracture.
—Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026
Using a wooden spoon, stir until a crumbly dough is formed.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crumbly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crumbly
Adjective
-
The oil nourishes weak and brittle strands, leaving them stronger and more moisturized.—
Jailynn Taylor,
InStyle,
1 June 2026
-
Underwatering causes the leaves to look dry and brittle.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Roman will pair a large field of view with crisp infrared vision to survey deep, vast swaths of sky.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 June 2026
-
This Quince 100 Percent Organic Cotton Poplin Long-sleeve Shirt is lightweight yet crisp, ideal for a cool spring day or the hot summer sun’s rays.—
Nneya Richards,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The second bottle, with confetti-ish contents, was equally useless—whatever had been inside had broken down into a friable mess.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2026
-
However, the fragile and friable nature of aged amber likely posed a significant challenge to its removal.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crumbly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crumbly. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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