crackled; crackling
ˈkra-k(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to make small sharp sudden repeated noises
the fire crackles on the hearth
b
: to show animation : sparkle
the essays crackle with wit
: to crush or crack with snapping noises
cracklingly
adverb
1
a
: the noise of repeated small cracks or reports
b
2
: a network of fine cracks on an otherwise smooth surface
Examples of crackle in a Sentence
Verb
The logs crackled in the fire.
The leaves crackled under our feet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
At night, gather in front of a crackling fire for pre-dinner drinks in the drawing room, which is filled with illustrations of Parisian opera stars, antique finds, and Monopoly.
—Harriet Compston, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
The crust, made with flour from Barton Springs Mill in Dripping Springs, is sturdy, a blend of butter, nut and earth with a nice crackle.
—Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crackle
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Verb
The whole show crackles with anything-can-happen energy.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
At night, gather in front of a crackling fire for pre-dinner drinks in the drawing room, which is filled with illustrations of Parisian opera stars, antique finds, and Monopoly.
—Harriet Compston, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
Some authors of quasi-impossible books like Nabokov (Ada, or Ardor), Pynchon (Gravity’s Rainbow) and Wallace (Infinite Jest) nevertheless manage to write unfailingly entertaining sentences that never lose a certain vernacular crackle, and that are often funny.
—Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
The crust, made with flour from Barton Springs Mill in Dripping Springs, is sturdy, a blend of butter, nut and earth with a nice crackle.
—Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crackle
Cite this Entry
“Crackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackle. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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