crack 1 of 3

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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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crack

3 of 3

adjective

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
Buildings were flattened and streets cracked open. CBS News, 26 June 2026 Grout's biggest challenge is cracking from improper installation or too much moisture. Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 25 June 2026
Noun
Rux used to work as a mechanical engineer inspecting roads for cracks that result from use and weathering. Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026 Maintain Leather Shoes And Handbags Moisture can cause leather to shrink, warp, crack, and mildew over time. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for crack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack
Verb
  • With Yerry De los Santos on the mound in the fourth, Hao-Yu Lee popped a fly ball to short right field.
    James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 30 June 2026
  • Octavia Spencer pops in a summery blouse at the Amiri show during Paris Fashion Week on June 25.
    Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • The campaign has choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling Russia's efforts on the battlefield, Western officials and analysts say, and heaped pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 June 2026
  • Remove chokes from artichokes and steam in small amount of water for 15 minutes, adding water to pan as needed.
    Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • In 2023, the Vesuvius Challenge made its first award for deciphering the first letters, and the following year, the project awarded the grand prize of $700,000 for producing the first readable text.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
  • On Thursday, the University of Kentucky announced a new $1 million prize to anyone able to decipher a complete scroll, a feat the researchers once considered impossible, by June next year.
    Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani leads the NL in votes received, which would give him the automatic starting spot at DH should that lead hold into Thursday, knocking Schmitt out of contention.
    Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026
  • Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Reopening the strait – which was fully open before the war – won’t immediately solve either of those problems.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
  • And even that reduction won’t be enough to solve the problem for the long term.
    Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • For all the chatter about his choices in handbags, Haaland doesn’t seem remotely bothered.
    Teddy Brown, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • What bothers me is the foot-dragging, the spinning in circles, the slow degradation of these characters into annoying stereotypes.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • The fissure was visible before the war.
    Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • While dealing real damage, Moscow’s ability to adapt has prevented Ukraine’s drone campaign from dealing the decisive blow Kyiv’s allies had hoped.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 June 2026
  • Apple could still handle the iPhone differently by raising only Pro model prices, adjusting storage tiers, leaning on carrier promotions or pushing trade-in offers harder to soften the blow.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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