cracked; cracking; cracks
1
: to make a very sharp explosive sound
The whip cracks through the air.
2
: to break, split, or snap apart
The statue cracked when she dropped it.
3
: fail: such as
a
: to lose control or effectiveness under pressure
—often used with up
The stress was so great that she started to crack up.
b
: to fail in tone
His voice cracked.
4
: to go or travel at good speed
—usually used with on
The steamboat cracked on.
1
a
: to break so that fissures appear on the surface
crack a mirror
b
: to break with a sudden sharp sound
crack nuts
2
: to tell especially suddenly or strikingly
crack a joke
3
: to strike with a sharp noise : rap
then cracks him over the head
cracked a two-run homer in the eighth
4
a(1)
: to open (something, such as a bottle) for drinking
(2)
: to open (a book) for studying
b
: to puzzle out and expose, solve, or reveal the mystery of
crack a code
c
: to break into
crack a safe
d
: to open slightly
crack the throttle
e
: to break through (something, such as a barrier) so as to gain acceptance or recognition
… on track to crack Hollywood after landing a big screen role.—
Ed Gleave and Peter Dyke
Ed Gleave and Peter Dyke
f
: to show or begin showing (a smile) especially reluctantly or uncharacteristically
5
6
: to cause to make a sharp noise
cracks his knuckles
7
a(1)
: to subject (hydrocarbons) to cracking
(2)
: to produce by cracking
cracked gasoline
b
: to break up (chemical compounds) into simpler compounds by means of heat
1
a
: a loud roll or peal
a crack of thunder
b
: a sudden sharp noise
the crack of rifle fire
2
: a sharp witty remark : quip
3
a
: a narrow break : fissure
a crack in the ice
b
: a narrow opening
Leave the door open a crack.
cracks between floorboards
—used figuratively in phrases like fall through the cracks to describe one that has been improperly or inadvertently ignored or left outa player who fell through the cracks in the college draft
Children slipping through the cracks of available youth services.
4
a
: a weakness or flaw caused by decay, age, or deficiency : unsoundness
b
: a broken tone of the voice
c
: crackpot
6
7
: a sharp resounding blow
gave him a crack on the head
8
: an attempt or opportunity to do something
her first crack at writing a novel
got first crack at the job opening
9
or crack cocaine
: a potent form of cocaine that is obtained by treating the hydrochloride of cocaine with sodium bicarbonate to create small chips used illicitly for smoking
: of superior excellence or ability
a crack marksman
Synonyms
Verb
Noun
Adjective
Examples of crack in a Sentence
Verb
The hailstones were big enough to crack some windows.
He cracked his collarbone in a skiing accident.
The mirror cracked when she dropped it.
Workers cracked the large rock into three pieces so it could be moved.
The bird cracked the seed on a tree branch.
a tool used for cracking nuts
He cracked open the eggs.
Someone cracked him over the head with a beer bottle.
The baby cracked her chin pretty hard when she fell.
He fell and cracked his elbow on the ice.
Noun
The crack runs all the way from the top of the wall to the bottom.
an old patio with grass growing up through the cracks
The vase has a few fine cracks, but it is still usable.
I could see them through the crack in the doorway.
Light came through the cracks in the walls of the barn.
Adjective
The company has a crack sales force.
known as one of the college's crack tennis players
See More
Recent Examples on the WebChristopher Price, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023
Bob then went on to ask for my advice on how to replace his cupped and cracked 12-inch-wide wood fascia boards with a more durable material.
—Tim Carter, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
The condo tower, located in the Greenwich Village Historic District, was controversial even before 10 Fifth cracked.
—Curbed, 8 Sep. 2023
While unlikely, there is a possibility that an outside source cracks your encryption key.
—Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 8 Sep. 2023
Biden has struggled with crack cocaine addiction and was having trouble staying sober at the time.
—Tori Otten, The New Republic, 7 Sep. 2023
At the time, Biden, who had been addicted to crack cocaine, was struggling to remain sober.
—Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2023
In 1983, an earthquake killed two children on their way to school in Central Idaho, and in 2020, a 6.5-magnitude earthquake cracked the courthouse in the next county over and spurred avalanches in the Sawtooth mountains.
—Becca Savransky, ProPublica, 6 Sep. 2023
That’s still not enough to crack the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time, however, which is dominated by Disney franchises like Marvel’s Avengers, Star Wars and Avatar.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 29 Aug. 2023
Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023
But Garrone’s film also recognises the little light that shines through the cracks in his protagonists’ torrid journey, like the value of their kinship.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2023
Initially, a shafted weapon similar to a javelin known as a Roman pilum was discovered squeezed in the rocks' cracks, along with pieces of wood that were part of the swords' scabbards, or sheaths.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2023
But less than a year after its initial release, cracks are surfacing: The cost of running a chatbot has become a serious issue.
—Noah Giansiracusa, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2023
Most of the players at both positions get their first crack at important college roles.
—Ndaschel, oregonlive, 2 Sep. 2023
Between 2,000 and 15,000 years ago, eight major volcanic eruptive periods occurred, forming the deep cracks, craters, and lava fields currently found in the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
—Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2023
However, the foundation for that spending is showing some cracks.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 31 Aug. 2023
Rebelo’s Pipe is aggressively privileged, but her social brutality has cracks of empathy.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
Verb
After 16-point flurry, Hurts and the Eagles — the highest-scoring team in the league last season — couldn’t crack the end zone the rest of the way, and finished with one offensive touchdown on the day.
—Christopher Price, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023
Bob then went on to ask for my advice on how to replace his cupped and cracked 12-inch-wide wood fascia boards with a more durable material.
—Tim Carter, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023
The condo tower, located in the Greenwich Village Historic District, was controversial even before 10 Fifth cracked.
—Curbed, 8 Sep. 2023
While unlikely, there is a possibility that an outside source cracks your encryption key.
—Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 8 Sep. 2023
Biden has struggled with crack cocaine addiction and was having trouble staying sober at the time.
—Tori Otten, The New Republic, 7 Sep. 2023
At the time, Biden, who had been addicted to crack cocaine, was struggling to remain sober.
—Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2023
In 1983, an earthquake killed two children on their way to school in Central Idaho, and in 2020, a 6.5-magnitude earthquake cracked the courthouse in the next county over and spurred avalanches in the Sawtooth mountains.
—Becca Savransky, ProPublica, 6 Sep. 2023
That’s still not enough to crack the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time, however, which is dominated by Disney franchises like Marvel’s Avengers, Star Wars and Avatar.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 29 Aug. 2023
Noun
To enjoy the maximum amount of fun, just do your best to keep track of all your events, or else some appointments could slip through the cracks.
—Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023
But Garrone’s film also recognises the little light that shines through the cracks in his protagonists’ torrid journey, like the value of their kinship.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2023
Initially, a shafted weapon similar to a javelin known as a Roman pilum was discovered squeezed in the rocks' cracks, along with pieces of wood that were part of the swords' scabbards, or sheaths.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2023
But less than a year after its initial release, cracks are surfacing: The cost of running a chatbot has become a serious issue.
—Noah Giansiracusa, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2023
Most of the players at both positions get their first crack at important college roles.
—Ndaschel, oregonlive, 2 Sep. 2023
Between 2,000 and 15,000 years ago, eight major volcanic eruptive periods occurred, forming the deep cracks, craters, and lava fields currently found in the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.
—Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2023
However, the foundation for that spending is showing some cracks.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 31 Aug. 2023
Rebelo’s Pipe is aggressively privileged, but her social brutality has cracks of empathy.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb, Noun, and Adjective
Middle English crakken, from Old English cracian; akin to Old High German chrahhōn to resound
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
1793, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of crack was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing crack
Dictionary Entries Near crack
Cite this Entry
“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crack. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
crack
1 of 3 verb1
a
: to break or cause to break with a sudden sharp sound : snap
b
: to make or cause to make such a sound
crack a whip
2
: to break with or without complete separation of parts
the ice cracked in several places
3
: to tell especially in a clever or witty way
crack jokes
4
a
: to lose control under pressure
—often used with up
b
: to fail in tone
her voice cracked
c
: to give or receive a sharp blow
cracked my head
5
a
: to puzzle out : solve
crack a code
b
: to break into or through
crack a safe
crack the sound barrier
6
a
: to put hydrocarbons through cracking
crack petroleum
b
: to produce by cracking
cracked gasoline
crack
2 of 3 noun1
: a sudden sharp noise
2
: a sharp witty remark : quip
3
: a narrow break or opening
a crack in the glass
open the window a crack
4
a
b
: a broken tone of the voice
5
: the beginning moment
the crack of dawn
6
: a sharp resounding blow
7
: try entry 2
take a crack at it
8
: highly purified cocaine in small chips used illegally usually for smoking
crack
3 of 3 adjective
: of high quality or ability
crack troops
Medical Definition
crack
nounoften attributive
: a potent form of cocaine that is obtained by treating the hydrochloride of cocaine with sodium bicarbonate to create small chips used illicitly usually for smoking
More from Merriam-Webster on crack
Nglish: Translation of crack for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of crack for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crack
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share