1
2
as in to choke
to yield to mental or emotional stress
after hours of tough questioning the suspect finally cracked and blurted out a confession
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to decipher
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language
the United States military used the Navajo language as a code during World War II, and the enemy never cracked it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to knock
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
cracked the bow of the ship with a champagne bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning
I've been mulling this riddle, but I just can't crack it
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to bother
to cause to go insane or as if insane
cracked by years in solitary confinement, the prisoner could only maunder incoherently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fissure
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure
a pebble struck the car's windshield and left a spidery crack in it
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
a disciplinary crack on the hand with a ruler was once common in schoolrooms
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in bang
a loud explosive sound
the tree fell with a sharp crack
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
5
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
a whispered crack made the whole back row start laughing
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in nut
a person of odd or whimsical habits
that conspiracy theorist has been labeled a crack by the ballistics experts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in skilled
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor
known as one of the college's crack tennis players
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 crack
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 19 June 2026
But those, too, have shifted, cracked and broken.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
Card networks and processors are seeing the cracks earliest and adding practical fixes rather than waiting for a full top-down solution.
—Jeffrey Highman, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for crack
Verb
Plastic trays are the least expensive but are also prone to cracking and absorbing odors.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 19 June 2026
But those, too, have shifted, cracked and broken.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Noun
These typically nest in cracks in sidewalks and driveways or in walls.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
Card networks and processors are seeing the cracks earliest and adding practical fixes rather than waiting for a full top-down solution.
—Jeffrey Highman, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for crack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack
Verb
-
Different types of circles with different patterns pop up on the headset.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Libertyville senior shortstop Trevor Wallace, who had just popped out and returned to the dugout to cheer for Holmes, overheard two teammates talking.—
Steve Reaven,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Police say after entering the store, Tabor allegedly randomly picked out a woman and started choking her.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
Connecticut’s largest cities also struggle with the state’s highest property tax rates, which chokes business growth and, in turn, shifts more burden onto residential owners.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
There's a science behind adding curb appeal to your home, and Thumbtack has been on a mission to decipher the paint colors that add the most appeal to your exterior.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
-
What’s more, the back of the painting shows a number code which was deciphered in the project to reveal the year of production—1934.—
Margherita Bassi,
Popular Science,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
On Tuesday, the Red Sox had base runners in every inning against Jays starter Dylan Cease, knocking him out after five innings and 108 pitches.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
While detailing the facts of the case on Tuesday, Tellman told the judge that Lawhead knocked at the door, brandished a gun and ordered her to leave the home with him.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
One of the oldest John Doe cases in America has been solved, with help from DNA evidence and forensic genetic genealogy, according to a team at FHD Forensics.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
More and more people are solving that exact problem by paring down instead of piling on.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Oh, and more often than not, nobody bothers to check whether the change intervention actually worked, or whether leaders improve their performance after all!—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
The chest pain that had been bothering her finally let up.—
Tyler Quattrin,
Twin Cities,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
So, too, does the idea that a soccer coach could close fissures that even the well-meaning among career politicians have failed to seal.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
-
The group is particularly interested in suspending, fracturing, and reconstructing time through which othered bodies and identities pass, and in exploring the attendant emerging fissures.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The rookie took a deep breath, settled into his stance and watched as Houston’s pitcher, Enyel De Los Santos, attempted to deliver the final blow.—
Latif Love
June 14,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
Star third baseman José Ramírez broke a bone in his left hand on a swing Saturday and will be sidelined for an indefinite period, a massive blow to the two-time defending AL Central champions.—
Tom Withers,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
