noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈkɹækəl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ækəl
CMU ARPABET:K R AE1 K AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A prolonged, frequent cracking sound; a fizzing, popping sound.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I heard a crackle from the frying pan as I was frying bacon.
There was an annoying crackle during the phone call, due to poor connection.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: crepitation
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A style of glaze giving the impression of many small cracks.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Synonym of crackling (“crispy rind of roast pork”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: crackling
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To make a prolonged, frequent cracking sound which sounds like fizzing or popping.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
a crackling fire
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To be full of tension or emotion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
Examples
The last scenes of the film crackle with repressed sexual energy.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fizzle, sizzle
Antonyms: none provided
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
having the surface decorated with a network of fine cracks, as in crackleware
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a crackle glaze
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
glazed china with a network of fine cracks on the surface
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: crackleware, crackle china
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: china
9
noun
Meaning 9
the sharp sound of snapping noises
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: crackling, crepitation
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: noise
Narrower terms: decrepitation
10
verb
Meaning 10
to become, or to cause to become, covered with a network of small cracks
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The blazing sun crackled the desert sand
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, vary
11
verb
Meaning 11
make a crushing noise
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
his shoes were crunching on the gravel
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: crunch, scranch, scraunch
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: make noise, resound, noise
Narrower terms: crump, thud, scrunch
12
verb
Meaning 12
make a crackling sound
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
My Rice Krispies crackled in the bowl
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: crepitate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: rattle
History
Etymology
From Middle English crakelen, equivalent to crack + -le (frequentative suffix). The physics sense is part of a facetious sequence "snap, crackle, pop", after the mascots of Rice Krispies cereal.
Across languages
Translations
58 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
пращене
(praštene)
— a fizzing, popping sound
Bulgarian:
пукане
(pukane)
— a fizzing, popping sound
Chinese Mandarin:
劈里啪啦的響聲 /劈里啪啦的响声
(pīlǐ pālā de xiǎngshēng)
— a fizzing, popping sound
Finnish:
rasahdus
— a fizzing, popping sound
Finnish:
risahdus
— a fizzing, popping sound
French:
crépitement
— a fizzing, popping sound
Galician:
estalo
— a fizzing, popping sound
German:
Knistern
— a fizzing, popping sound
Hungarian:
recsegés
— a fizzing, popping sound
Icelandic:
snark
— a fizzing, popping sound
Italian:
crepitio
— a fizzing, popping sound
Italian:
scoppiettio
— a fizzing, popping sound
Māori:
pakepakē
— a fizzing, popping sound
Norwegian Bokmål:
sprak
— a fizzing, popping sound
Norwegian Bokmål:
spraking
— a fizzing, popping sound
Portuguese:
estalido
— a fizzing, popping sound
Portuguese:
estalo
— a fizzing, popping sound
Russian:
треск
(tresk)
— a fizzing, popping sound
Spanish:
crujido
— a fizzing, popping sound
Spanish:
chisporroteo
— a fizzing, popping sound
Ukrainian:
тріск
(trisk)
— a fizzing, popping sound
Ukrainian:
трі́скіт
(trískit)
— a fizzing, popping sound
French:
craquelé
— style of glaze
German:
Craquelé
— style of glaze
Bulgarian:
пращя
(praštja)
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Bulgarian:
пукам
(pukam)
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Chinese Mandarin:
發出爆裂聲 /发出爆裂声
(fāchū bàolièshēng)
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Chinese Mandarin:
劈啪作响
(pīpā zuòxiǎng)
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Choctaw:
bʋsakʋchi
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Dutch:
kraken
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Dutch:
knetteren
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Esperanto:
kraketi
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Finnish:
rasahtaa
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Finnish:
risahtaa
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Finnish:
ratista
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Finnish:
ritistä
— make a prolonged cracking sound
French:
crépiter
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Galician:
estalar
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Galician:
estralexar
— make a prolonged cracking sound
German:
knistern
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Hungarian:
recseg
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Icelandic:
snarka
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Italian:
crepitare
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Māori:
ngatete
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Māori:
pāhūhū
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Māori:
pākēkē
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Norman:
cratchi
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Norwegian Bokmål:
sprake
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Portuguese:
estalar
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Portuguese:
crepitar
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Russian:
треща́ть
(treščátʹ)
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Spanish:
crepitar
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Swedish:
knastra
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Swedish:
spraka
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Tày:
bjáp bjáp
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Tày:
bíp bjáp
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Ukrainian:
тріща́ти
(triščáty)
— make a prolonged cracking sound
Ukrainian:
шкварча́ти
(škvarčáty)
— make a prolonged cracking sound
