craggy
Americanadjective
-
having many crags
-
(of the face) rugged; rocklike
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of craggy
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at crag 1, -y 1
Explanation
Something is craggy when it's uneven, rough, and jagged, like the craggy cliffs along a rocky beach. The adjective craggy is most often used to describe a landscape or natural feature like a hill or outcrop, and occasionally a scarred or pitted face, like your uncle's craggy cheeks. The word comes from crag, "rugged cliff or rock." Most crags are found in northern Scotland and England, and the roots of crag go back to a Celtic source.
Vocabulary lists containing craggy
Everything Sad Is Untrue
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I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011
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Paradise on Fire
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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.
When baked, the streusel should form a craggy, golden crust that cracks gently under a knife.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
We got off in Jasper, the Yellowstone of Canada, filled with glaciers, craggy mountains, waterfalls, rivers and spectacular vistas.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026
Exploring these craggy psychological contours from the perspectives of the investigators, the accused’s shocked parents, and a psychologist tasked with evaluating the boy and his parents in four taut episodes is equally impressive.
From Salon • Dec. 17, 2025
But she made a beeline back to the coast, settling in the craggy bluffs outside desirable Topanga.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025
Cordelia’s father sits at the head of the table, with his craggy eyebrows, his wolfish look, and bends upon me the full force of his ponderous, ironic, terrifying charm.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
