crackling

noun

crack·​ling
plural cracklings
1
ˈkra-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce crackling (audio) : a series of small sharp cracking noises
the crackling of frozen snow as we walk
2
\ ˈkra-​klən How to pronounce crackling (audio) , -​kliŋ \
a
: the crisp residue left after the rendering of lard from pig fat or the frying or roasting of pig skin
Want to know how to get perfect crisp crackling on roast pork?BBC Good Food (online)
… for me fat is a largely a textural pleasure, … and pork crackling is surely the supreme example of this: a blistered top, as dry and crunchy as an autumn leaf, hiding a layer of yielding, creamy fat beneath.Felicity Cloake
also : a piece of this residue
We feasted on … fresh hog cracklings from a road-side trailer north of Houston … Peter Richmond
b
: food or a piece of food that resembles crackling
duck cracklings
The great Simon Hopkinson, author of Roast Chicken and Other Stories, gave me—appropriately enough—a bag of chicken crackling as a present, and I pressed him for the recipe.Nigella Lawson

Examples of crackling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This year, with political strife crackling in the air (but was there ever a peacetime biennial?), the art feels mostly riskless. Martha Schwendener, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Spend the evening at the iconic Sheridan Inn snuggled up at the lobby’s crackling fireplace. Molly O’Brien, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2024 The most notorious of them remains Lou Reed’s 1975 release Metal Machine Music, two-LPs (bath then) of crackling, often squalid feedback. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2024 This could include soothing sounds like cat purring, a crackling fireplace, rain, gentle waves, a babbling brook, whales, or a tumble dryer. Rachael Hogg, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2023 Located in the heart of downtown, this old-school resort offers crackling fireplaces, porches, and many dining options. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023 The whole thing is topped with a crackling, golden tuile made from chicken drippings—a nod to the crisp noodles, the tender meat, both and neither. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 And last but not least, the simple, tasty porchetta — pork belly rolled and roasted until the skin was deep brown and crackling. Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2024 The road, which runs past Dave Harris’ home, was closed Wednesday, and crackling could be heard on nearby Mount Juneau. Becky Bohrer, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crackling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crackling was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near crackling

Cite this Entry

“Crackling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackling. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crackling

noun
crack·​ling
1
ˈkrak-(ə-)liŋ
: a series of small sharp crackling sounds
2
ˈkrak-lən,
ˈkrak-liŋ
: the crisp remainder left after the fat has been separated from the meat or skin (as of pork)
usually used in plural
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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