crunchy

American  

[kruhn-chee] / ˈkrʌn tʃi /

adjective

• crunchier,
  comparative
• crunchiest
  superlative

1. crisp; brittle.

2. Slang. crunchy-granola.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• crunchiness
  noun
• crunchily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• crunchier
  comparative
• crunchiest
  superlative

---

Etymology

Origin of crunchy

First recorded in 1890–95; crunch + -y ¹

---

Explanation

When you bite into something crunchy, its brittleness makes a distinct, crisp sound. There's nothing like munching your way through a bag of crunchy potato chips. There's a delightful crispness to crunchy things, whether you're eating raw carrots, tortilla chips, or toasted almonds. While most crunchy items are edible, you can also use the word to describe things that make a similar crisp, crackling sound — think of jumping into a pile of crunchy leaves. An informal meaning, "environmentally liberal" or "hippie," comes from the phrase "crunchy granola" and the implication that nature lovers enjoy healthy foods like granola.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crunchy crunchier crunchiest

Founder Glen Bell operated a hot dog stand across the street from Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino, Calif., whose owners first taught him about the magic properties of the crunchy taco.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The $99 dish, roasted with herb butter under the skin, comes with crunchy sourdough stuffing infused with foie gras and mashed potatoes whipped with butter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Leaving the crunchy, ragged edges on the paper, we stuffed our notice of intent into an envelope.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

The album is loaded with Anthrax trademarks — serrated, crunchy riffs, soaring lead vocals, bludgeoning beats, and scorching guitar — but there are also galactic noise effects, angular song structures and atypical chord configurations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

I would eat vegetables only if they were canned, and I hated the bright green crunchy ones she steamed and claimed were healthier.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

I happen to love the crust, and the difference in texture between the softer inside of the bread and the crunchier outside.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 20, 2023

“It’s certainly not Mozart. It’s more contemporary and plays with crunchier chords. We’re playing with a bit more chromaticism and distorting the rhythm.”

From Seattle Times ● May 23, 2023

SkyFlakes are firmer and much crunchier than the delicate saltines that usually turn up with Mexican shrimp cocktails, and they stay crisp even after a brief soaking.

From New York Times ● Oct. 18, 2021

After about half an hour in the oven, the feta turns soft and lightly toasted, the tomatoes slump and share their tangy juices, the peppers become soft and sweet and the nuts get even crunchier.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 14, 2021

And because it had gotten warmer outside, the snow had become crunchier and wetter: good packing snow.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

The crunchiest — while remaining easy to bite — was the chocolate swirled into fairly complicated spirals.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 5, 2022

Its inclusion turns the salad into the crunchiest in memory.

From Washington Post ● May 29, 2022

If you are looking for the best French fries in Los Angeles, the ones here are pretty close, cooked in a complex multi-step process that makes them all the crunchiest ones on the plate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2017

True to the restaurant’s name, it was one of the crunchiest we sampled.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 29, 2016

Back then, the crunchiest health food store in my hometown was the only place where you could find wheat-free products.

From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2015

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---