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Synonyms

crusty

American  
[kruhs-tee] / ˈkrʌs ti /

adjective

crustier, crustiest

  1. having a crisp or thick crust.

    a loaf of crusty French bread.

  2. of the nature of or resembling a crust.

  3. harsh; surly; rude.

    a crusty remark.
    Synonyms:
    brusque, curt, touchy, prickly, testy
crusty British  
/ ˈkrʌstɪ /

adjective

  1. having or characterized by a crust, esp having a thick crust

  2. having a rude or harsh character or exterior; surly; curt

    a crusty remark
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. slang a dirty type of punk or hippy whose lifestyle involves travelling and squatting

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • crustily adverb
  • crustiness noun

Etymology

Origin of crusty

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; crust, -y 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There is no proven link between the "uniquely colourful and crusty" speeches of former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte and the murders he is accused of, his defence lawyer told the International Criminal Court on Thursday.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Matijevich recommends enjoying bowls of clam chowder with your favorite crusty bread, like focaccia or toasted slices of baguette.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

Mr. James also has a challenging role as the crusty salt who curses “dat ole davil sea” almost as many times as Hickey drones on about “pipe dreams” in “The Iceman Cometh.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 14, 2025

Right on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, on a bed of soft scrambled eggs, and on a piece of crusty French bread with a thick shmear of butter.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

It was hard to saw through the crusty loaf with a left hand, but he managed to do it.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.