crunchy

American  

[kruhn-chee] / ˈkrʌn tʃi /

adjective

• crunchier,
  comparative
• crunchiest
  superlative

1. crisp; brittle.

2. Slang. crunchy-granola.

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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

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

“The Aztec culture pervades Mexico City’s daily life today in a thousand subtle ways,” Romero says, passing me a bowl of roasted grasshoppers, a crunchy pre-Hispanic snack.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

“I used to be pure,” he sings over the crunchy riff, continuing, “I just try to be good now.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Cubes of sharp white cheddar bring that unmistakable Midwestern deli-counter energy, while chopped cucumber, snap peas, shaved celery and scallions keep everything cool and crunchy.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

The lobster cakes were hot and buttery, brown and crunchy on the outside, sweet and white on the inside.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

If you want your granola crunchier, bake the oat part a bit longer before stirring in the fruit.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 20, 2023

“The strong heat will make the different dishes — like the fried potatoes — so much crunchier and better,” he said.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2023

Ample precedents for the feasibility and value of on-site day care exist, from hospitals to the buttoned-up world of corporate finance, to the crunchier world of outdoor sports equipment.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 15, 2022

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

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