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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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
Working-class jobs make up over half of our labor force, but historically, the share of members of Congress who last had a working-class job has never cracked 3%. — Nicholas Carnes, Time, 4 Nov. 2026 The nappers took an average of 94 more trials to crack the math problem. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Nov. 2026
Noun
In his new memoir, Nicko McBrain joyfully cracks open the tight, closed world that is Iron Maiden. — Gary Graff, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2026 To complicate matters, two other truckloads of hunters who were camped nearby were already positioning to try and have a crack at the approaching herd. — Tyler Freel, Outdoor Life, 10 Nov. 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
  • When an unexpected technical anomaly pops up on the floor, these senior subject matter experts jump in to resolve it immediately.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The lot opens for live bidding November 19 and is expected to sell for the eye-popping sum of $10 million to $15 million.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of pop
Verb
  • Allan himself was visibly overcome with emotion through much of the brief news conference, his voice at times choking with pain.
    — Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2026
  • If someone is choking and first aid measures fail to dislodge the obstruction, call 911, the agency said.
    — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • Salas-Altès hopes to continue working to decipher the 280 engravings, as well as to understand the history of human presence in the cave.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Bahdanau was working with artificial neural networks, which had already shown promise in pattern-recognition tasks such as deciphering handwriting and identifying objects in photos.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • For current homeowners who have enjoyed massive appreciation (with or without a mortgage) and have thought about selling to move up, down or out of town, opportunity may be knocking soon.
    — Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The following day, a third victim reported he was assaulted near the concert stage after being knocked to the ground in a mosh pit, according to the police statement.
    — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Kotlikoff defended his leadership, arguing that replacing him would do little to solve complex problems and could damage Cornell’s reputation.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • An 18-year-old mathematical problem concerning the limits of quantum computing may finally have been solved in just three days.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • In fact, the movie doesn’t even bother revealing Fang’s ultimate fate; but then again, he’s been fully vindicated in the court of public opinion, so who cares?
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Nothing shows the world that the outside noise doesn’t bother you quite like preparing a statement ahead of time about how much the outside noise doesn’t bother you.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • That election, in Bill Clinton's first term, highlighted deep societal fissures and economic instability.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Marxist rule In the years after independence, significant fissures—both ideological and practical—were opening in South Yemen within the ruling NLF and its successor, the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP).
    — Manfred W. Wenner All, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • Toney is one of the leaders on the team, so losing him before the biggest game of the regular season was a tough blow.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
  • While the announcement doesn’t guarantee that Eisenkot will be the next prime minister, Herzog’s decision is another blow to Netanyahu, who lost his parliamentary majority in the election.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crack

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crack

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