- present participle of crackle.
crackling
Americannoun
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the making of slight cracking sounds rapidly repeated.
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the crisp browned skin or rind of roast pork.
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Southern U.S. Usually cracklings. the crisp residue left when fat, especially hog or chicken fat, is rendered.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of crackling
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
One firefighter picking up hoses on Jan. 2 found crackling red-hot coals in the dirt.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
Don’t be afraid of any crackling; cumin seeds should sizzle when fried.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
Mr. Ireland writes crackling, funny dialogue that gradually exposes greater rifts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026
A firefighter picking up hoses on Jan. 2 found crackling, red-hot coals in the dirt and warned colleagues that a more thorough mop-up was needed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026
Buildings around them began to rumble, witches looked around in confusion, but most important, the crackling energy of the gazebo fell.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
These act as bases for such dishes as Puerto Rican mofongo, made with plantains mashed with pork cracklings, as well as Cuban yuca with mojo, a citrus and garlic sauce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Shattering squares of cracklings are what makes this classic Thai dish a favorite at this food hall.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2023
Jaíne again turns to her native country of Brazil, making plantain gnocchi, pan-fried in duck fat with cracklings and orange sauce.
From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2022
There are fried sardines, fried pork cracklings, pickled eggs, gizzards and stews made from cow’s feet and oxtail.
From New York Times ● Dec. 3, 2021
From time to time Ma skimmed out the brown cracklings.
From "Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
