crack 1 of 3

verb

ˈkrak How to pronounce crack (audio)
Definition of cracknext
1
as in to pop
to break suddenly with an explosive sound the tree branch unexpectedly cracked under our weight

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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crack

2 of 3

noun

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

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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

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3
as in bang
a loud explosive sound the tree fell with a sharp crack

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4
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something this is my first crack at painting

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5
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter a whispered crack made the whole back row start laughing

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6
as in nut
a person of odd or whimsical habits that conspiracy theorist has been labeled a crack by the ballistics experts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crack

3 of 3

adjective

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

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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
Verb
Walsh’s concern isn’t that ChatGPT has cracked Apple’s end-to-end encryption. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 Another drover rides beside the herd, periodically cracking a bullwhip. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
After a summer full of nauseating WNBA drama, that UNC-TCU kickoff in Dublin is gonna hit like crack. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Each portion of the chuleta is equally tender and juicy, the fat cap rendered so crispy, a bite yields an audible crack. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack
  1. pop
  2. choke
  3. decipher
  4. knock
  5. solve
  6. bother
  7. fissure
  8. blow
Verb
  • Al-Emad and Andrijasevic have gone live with NLE Choppa, while Andrijasevic appeared alongside the rapper in a Marc Jacobs campaign and, more recently, popped up in a Lil Uzi Vert music video.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026
  • An isolated shower or thunderstorm could pop up, especially north of Philadelphia, but the vast majority of us stay dry.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of pop
Verb
  • After multiple attempts to stave off its death over the decades, it is being choked by the chains and cables meant to support it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Their findings prompted bans on phosphorus-laden detergents that were supercharging algae blooms choking the Great Lakes.
    — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • And navigating a website might involve deciphering images or knowing what links to click.
    — Jennifer D. Kobrin, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The prevention of future pandemics relies on information from previous outbreaks, which is one reason why deciphering the origins of the COVID-19 began is important.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • But their rookie linebacker extended his arms, threw out a hand and knocked the ball free from London’s grasp.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • When the group decided to move the party to a house nearby, Pysher walked there alone and mistakenly knocked on the wrong door.
    — Tom Hanson, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Forensic investigative genetic genealogy has helped police solve long-term unidentified cold cases.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The technology remains at an early stage, however, and its long-term viability will depend on whether companies can solve the economic, technical and logistical challenges of operating and maintaining thousands of satellites in space.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • Right-handed reliever Joel Peguero (left hamstring strain) will be shut down for the rest of the year due to a recurring hamstring strain that’s bothered him since spring training.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • McGarey’s son told his mom not to bother sending packages because people weren’t receiving them.
    — Chris Quintana, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • On a historic square in Savannah, with live oaks cloaked in Spanish moss, Aaron Whitley, the Chatham County Democratic Party chair, says Ossoff has managed to transcend those fissures better than most.
    — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But a fissure remains between those actors who stay morally opposed to cloning, and those who embrace this new reality.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • The impact of yesterday’s sharp drop in South Korean equities transmitted further into US markets overnight, spreading selling sentiment and dealing heavy blows to US semiconductor and memory stocks.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The loss of the Tower Theater was a major blow as South Florida’s arthouse cinemas struggled to survive after the pandemic.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow

Phrases Containing crack

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crabwise
crack
crackbrain
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Cite this Entry

“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crack

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crack

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