Synonym Chooser

How is the word crusty distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of crusty are bluff, blunt, brusque, curt, and gruff. While all these words mean "abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner," crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness.

a crusty exterior

Where would bluff be a reasonable alternative to crusty?

The synonyms bluff and crusty are sometimes interchangeable, but bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality.

a bluff manner

When can blunt be used instead of crusty?

While the synonyms blunt and crusty are close in meaning, blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.

a blunt appraisal

When might brusque be a better fit than crusty?

The words brusque and crusty can be used in similar contexts, but brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness.

a brusque response

When could curt be used to replace crusty?

While in some cases nearly identical to crusty, curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness.

a curt command

When is gruff a more appropriate choice than crusty?

Although the words gruff and crusty have much in common, gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness.

puts on a gruff pose

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crusty The gypsum dunes replicate crusty Martian sediment, while frozen ridges offer lessons in ice-regolith interactions. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2025 Cinderella Man is unalloyed emotional manipulation, and while the cast all dig into the maudlin hooey — Paul Giamatti is especially good as the crusty trainer — nothing here has the spark of real life. Will Leitch, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025 The favorite is the Cubano Doble, stuffed with two kinds of porks—one traditional sliced, the other pulled after it has been rendered with mojo and red onion—all stacked between crusty Cuban bread baked locally for Enriqueta’s. Carlos Frías, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Aug. 2025 All that was in there was crusty unopened ear plugs from Sweden. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crusty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crusty
Adjective
  • Leslie had been discovered deceased in her upstairs bathroom, with the autopsy listing her official cause of death as blunt force trauma.
    Claire Lempert, ABC News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • By reintroducing the War title, the Administration is sending a blunt message and in cyberspace, America is not only defending but also going on the offensive.
    Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.
    Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The barbs were frequently aimed at the gruff owner of Mel’s Diner played by the late Vic Tayback.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Fans think Nina Dobrev and Shaun White’s abrupt breakup makes a whole lot more sense after watching the actor’s latest TikTok video.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2025
  • An investigative series about the abrupt closure of a Miami heart transplant program led Michelle and her colleagues to be recognized as finalists in two 2024 Florida Sunshine State Award categories.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Such a short distance is considered well within reach of a basic marksman.
    Will Carless, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In short, The Paper doesn’t quite escape the shadow of its big brother, but that’s just fine with us.
    Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Prince Harry and his father, King Charles III, have reunited amid the royal family's estrangement from the outspoken prince.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Lucy Liu has been quite outspoken in recent years, calling out the unjust treatment of women and the paucity of roles for non-white actors in Hollywood, and advocating for the rights of children through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), among other relevant topics.
    Brett Berk, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The result was completely was enchanting, including the brusque Communist-era service.
    Sarah Turner, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The same substantive deficits afflict Louise-Parker, too, whose bright eyes and brusque wit are wasted in a role that’s villainous potential exists only in exposition.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • These and a few other basic elements recur throughout Martinů’s œuvre: curt themes, darting rhythms, tangy harmonies, glittering textures.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The pillow talk on Man’s Best Friend often takes the curt, assertive tone of a person reproaching a precocious pet.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crusty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crusty. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on crusty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!