crackle

1 of 2

verb

crack·​le ˈkra-kəl 

crackled; crackling ˈkra-k(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

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

2

: craze sense intransitive 2

transitive verb

: to crush or crack with snapping noises

cracklingly adverb

crackle

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: the noise of repeated small cracks or reports

b

: sparkle, effervescence

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

Verb

Among a crackling grand fireplace and towering Christmas tree, guests experience gothic manor life first-hand. —Paula Conway, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

The menu, too, is very grown up—fundamentally Italian, as much of the cooking in the Tarlow universe is, and built around a live-fire oven that crackles in the open kitchen, which fills the front section of one of the restaurant’s two rooms. —Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024

Noun

The book and score have the crackle and glow of a fire in the hearth. —The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2024

Eerie Place Settings Hefner combines vintage pieces like the dinner plates and goblets with modern ones including the crackle chargers, geometric salad plates, and 3-D placemats. —Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

frequentative of crack entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

crackle

verb

crack·​le

ˈkrak-əl

crackled; crackling

-(ə-)liŋ

: to make small sharp sudden repeated noises

crackle noun