crunchy

American  

[kruhn-chee] / ˈkrʌn tʃi /

adjective

crunchier, crunchiest

1. crisp; brittle.

2. Slang. crunchy-granola.

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Other Word Forms

• crunchily
  adverb
• crunchiness
  noun

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

Crunchy and smooth shrimp croquettes, bright and flaky Basque ham and asparagus tarts, briny confit tuna and conserved-tomato toast, crisp then juicy, and pistachio white chocolate mousse.

From Salon • Jul. 12, 2025

Kellanova will move production of Corn Flakes and Crunchy Nut from its Greater Manchester plant, doubling the Welsh factory's capacity to 1.5 million boxes a day.

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2024

Crunchy and satisfying, the flautas came topped with salsa roja, guacamole and cotija cheese.

From Washington Times • Jul. 24, 2023

He wrote a book on this theme in 2006, Crunchy Cons, and launched a blog by that name at Beliefnet.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2023

Mom took the Air Crunchy idea to her boss, who showed it to Mr. Finkle.

From "The Million Dollar Shot" by Dan Gutman