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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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
The director who saved Bond couldn’t even figure out a way to crack Green Lantern. — Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026 Crimson Desert remains one of the biggest success stories of 2026 so far, a new IP putting up huge sales and high user scores in the hard-to-crack fantasy genre. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
Gen immediately proves Aesha right by hoping the next guests are more demanding so cracks will show. — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 Through the cracks in Sepp the tuba player’s monologue, readers may try to catch a glimpse of the taciturn listener stuck in the gondola with him. — Literary Hub, 11 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
  • First Solar – The solar panel maker popped more than 3% after Baird upgraded the stock to outperform from neutral.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • More spotty showers and storms could pop up midday in northern Missouri.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of pop
Verb
  • There were flakes of gray ash on the rocks, and the choking stink of wet soot.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Keeping your registers from getting choked with dust also allows air to flow freely into your home.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • Western San Gabriel Mountains/Highway 14 Corridor When an air quality alert pops up on the radar, deciphering its implications is crucial.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 30 July 2026
  • The discovery began in 2024, when a representative of the monastery's preservation association asked Tornau to decipher the manuscript.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • Northerly breezes will knock the humidity levels down a bit with dewpoint temps in the mid-60s.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Moments later, Sikorski walked past the teen girl who was recording the incident and her phone was knocked to the ground.
    — Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Still, the investigation into his murder had seemed to grow so cold that even many close to the events of that night believed the case would never be solved, much less prosecuted.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • While there is no solid evidence that psychics can solve crimes, some law enforcement agencies use them when traditional leads run dry.
    — Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • The one issue that is bothering me at or just before launch is the CPU's Wear and Tear management.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • As if the constant barrage of political ads wasn't enough, some WCCO viewers are particularly bothered by the language candidates are using.
    — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • The pitched and often emotional vote over Proposition 40 exposed deep fissures in the state party over how to respond to growing grassroots anger over wealth inequality.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Another fissure appeared, slicing a haphazard path through its pale-blue heart.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 July 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • The breach is the latest blow to a struggling small city that has faced years of severe budget deficits, pushing it to the brink of insolvency, as well as chronic understaffing in its police, fire and other municipal departments.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • That would be a heavy blow for an economy growing at less than 1% a year.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 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 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crack

Nglish: Translation of crack for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crack

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