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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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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
Could Disney+ be keeping the door cracked open for a potential season three? — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026 But experts like geoscientist Rajendran say construction has caused damage in other communities where hydropower projects are being built, including damaging mountain springs, causing homes to crack and even landslides. — Mamita Bhandari, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
Boone acknowledged that his club will probably have to sweep the Rays for a crack at a division title. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026 From a plane flying at 6,000 feet, their photos can show cracks in roof tiles after a hailstorm. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 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
  • After a brief history lesson on the region’s papermaking tradition—which dates back to the Middle Ages—pop into La Scuderia del Duca, whose vast selection of handmade paper feels like a museum in itself and makes for the perfect souvenir.
    — Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Shortly before the final out was recorded Thursday, Royals legend George Brett popped into the White Sox suite.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of pop
Verb
  • He was brought to the prison infirmary, where numerous guards surrounded, punched, kicked, choked, dropped and manhandled him.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • During their time dating, Flowers’ friends and family received a video of Plummer striking Flowers, choking her and throwing her to the ground, prosecutors said.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • For these scrolls, the best method for virtually unrolling and deciphering text would be to scan for lead first, according to Seiler.
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The first person to make progress on deciphering the stone was Thomas Young, a British Egyptologist who was also a respected physician and physicist.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • Fishing ace Bucky Dent knocked 2025 champ Bear #32 (Chunk) out of contention.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Keith’s knocking drums and cinematic production took the next generation of Memphis to the world as a sonic architect of hip-hop in the late 2010s and into the first half of the 2020s.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Cage solved my next problem by insisting that the way to discover new things is to overcome our dependence on our likes and dislikes, those supposed pillars of criticism.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • If something goes wrong, do our teams solve the customer’s problem together or simply hand it to someone else?
    — Brian Tuite, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • Tanner Faaborg said he was also bothered by the reshaping of rural Iowa by industrial animal agriculture.
    — Rachel Cramer, NPR, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Before turning it into a judgment about your abilities, notice what specifically bothered you.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • This fissure triggered one of the 21st century’s bloodiest wars in 2020 when federal forces attempted to wrestle control of the large province of Tigray, leaving up to 600,000 dead by the time a ceasefire deal was signed two years later.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Groundwater steadily rises through fissures in the limestone bedrock, providing the spring with a constant flow of pristine water.
    — Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • That blow came a little less than a year after the New York Times shook up its culture desk and reassigned its classical music critic, Zachary Woolfe, to serve as the obituaries editor.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The blow caused a minor skull fracture and a gash that required three stitches to close.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of blow

Phrases Containing crack

Browse Nearby Words

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 26 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crack

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crack

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