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
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
The earth stretched flat in every direction, almost to the horizon—a pale, cracked crust, vaguely lunar.
—AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Somebody also used the cracks between equipment for storing in-use knives.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack
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.
Verb
Here was the first sign that Yorgos Lanthimos had cracked the code on Colin Farrell.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
The earth stretched flat in every direction, almost to the horizon—a pale, cracked crust, vaguely lunar.
—AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
Any American who has been receiving $4200 dollars per year of free groceries and does NOT have at least 1 month of groceries stocked should never again receive SNAP, because wow, stop smoking crack.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Somebody also used the cracks between equipment for storing in-use knives.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack
Cite this Entry
“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crack. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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