crunchy
AmericanOther Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of crunchy
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hilton gleefully wielded the crunchy mass with one hand as he pointed to the Original Del Taco sign with the other.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
"It's just crunchy and light and salty and briny," says Standridge.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
A huge shipment of Nestle's crunchy KitKat chocolate bars was stolen in Europe, the brand said, warning that the heist risked causing shortages in stores right before Easter.
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026
You don’t have to do much other than replace your normal Hellmann’s mayo and Dijon mustard with a bottle of Ayoh and all of a sudden you have a crunchy dill pickle-flavored turkey sandwich.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
It hit the bottom with a rather horrible, crunchy thud.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
