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
Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
On damp mornings, a fire crackles in rhythm with his whistling in the kitchen downstairs, his lean body moving around the house’s only heat source.
—Emily Zebel, Longreads, 23 May 2024
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The only time sparks fly are when that restorative tanning bed crackles and sputters.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crackle 
Verb
In the midst of the darkest winter, the air crackles with electric possibility.
—Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
On damp mornings, a fire crackles in rhythm with his whistling in the kitchen downstairs, his lean body moving around the house’s only heat source.
—Emily Zebel, Longreads, 23 May 2024
Noun
Jazz not only cut through the crackle of surface noise but also thrived on it.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The only time sparks fly are when that restorative tanning bed crackles and sputters.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crackle
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crackle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near crackle
Cite this Entry
“Crackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackle. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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