crunchier; crunchiest
Synonyms of crunchynext
1
: making a crunching sound when chewed or pressed
crunchy lettuce
crunchy snow
prefers crunchier cookies
2
informal : having or relating to a lifestyle that is typically focused on connecting with and preserving the natural world (as by spending time in nature, by favoring organic and natural foods and environmentally sustainable products, and by living simply and healthfully) and that may also include New Age beliefs, self-reliance (as in growing and/or making products that most people buy ready-made), and a wariness of conventional agricultural, educational, medical, and industrial practices : crunchy-granola
If the group focuses on healthy eating, woe be unto you if you suggest using any kind of processed ingredient … which couldn't possibly suit a particularly crunchy cook's definition of "healthy."Amy McCarthy
… is all about getting into nature and supporting crunchy hobbies like camping …Tim Levin
Just as Birkenstocks and bee pollen have come back in style, so have crunchy lifestyle concepts, from yoga and meditation to composting and home fermentation.Kim Velsey
Crunchy, coined as a pop-culture reference to granola, has come to refer to a wide variety of cultural practices, including avoiding additives and food dyes, declining or spacing out childhood vaccinations beyond what pediatricians recommend, and more extreme actions in pursuit of health, independence, and purity. Back-to-the-land living and alternative medicine are hallmarks …Kathleen Belew
… the old phrase "granola girl" … described a type of woman who opted for everything natural. She made her own granola, loved the outdoors, chose a barefoot life, treated illness with herbal remedies and essential oils and eschewed anything unnatural. Now she's grown up and had a baby and she's a crunchy mom.Stefanie Preissner
crunchily adverb
crunchiness noun

Examples of crunchy in a Sentence

These cookies are very crunchy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Malibu Artist There's a chomp, a crunchy noise, some teeth, and for a moment, the camera is inside the great white's mouth. Tom Wait, CBS News, 26 May 2026 Everyone's takeout favorite, orange chicken, takes a turn for the fresh in this this recipe, which combines orange marmalade and soy sauce to make a sweet-and-salty dressing for chicken, cabbage, and crunchy ramen noodles. Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 24 May 2026 Instead of sweet potato casseroles, make these sweet potato rounds in a rich and sweet sauce with crunchy pecans and herbs. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 24 May 2026 Turn your favorite summertime sandwich into a scoopable pasta salad with juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy romaine lettuce, and of course, bacon. Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for crunchy

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crunchy was in 1855

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Cite this Entry

“Crunchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crunchy. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

crunchy

adjective
crunchier; crunchiest
: making a crunching sound (as when bitten or chewed)

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