1
as in breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse
a crack-up required him to take a year off from work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collision
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact
two people were injured in a serious crack-up on the interstate
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to praise
to declare enthusiastic approval of
that sports car isn't all it's cracked up to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to blow up
to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively
the movie is being cracked up as the blockbuster of the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to laugh
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
try not to crack up at your own punch lines—it's funnier if you keep a straight face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of crack-up
airmail.news, 25 Jan. 2025
The prevailing explanation for the Ordovician Impact Spike had long been that a large body in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter broke up as a result of a collision and the debris from that crack-up eventually found its way to Earth.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 Sep. 2024
Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The woods may be overrun, this year, with cabins in the woods capable of cracking up couples by laying all their faults bare.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Noun
Because even the most powerful companies are just participants in a broader world, and if the rage of those who are sacrificed to feed the bottom line wrecks that broader world, well, then a crack-up is coming.
—airmail.news, 25 Jan. 2025
The prevailing explanation for the Ordovician Impact Spike had long been that a large body in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter broke up as a result of a collision and the debris from that crack-up eventually found its way to Earth.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 Sep. 2024
Verb
Kathy — who has earned an enormous fan base thanks to her honesty and lack of pretense on the Bravo reality series — had the crowd at the Caesars Forum convention center cracking up from the moment the panel began.
—Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The woods may be overrun, this year, with cabins in the woods capable of cracking up couples by laying all their faults bare.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack-up
Noun
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See video … LISTEN Tune in for a breakdown of new polling showing voters uneasy with aggressive ICE tactics and that the White House is not focused enough on inflation and affordability.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Schnell said his department has repeatedly asked DHS to provide underlying data, methodologies or jurisdictional breakdowns but has received no response.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In 2023, the California Office of Traffic Safety ranked Sutter County ninth and Yuba County eighth for injury collisions out of the state's 58 counties, placing the region among the highest in the state for fatal and injury crashes.—
Kayla Moeller,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
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This magnetized ridge appears to funnel material and magnetic flux between the merging nuclei, further emphasizing the role of magnetic fields in governing the flow of matter during galactic collisions.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in separate statements, praised the security forces for the operations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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Instead of soaking in the third consecutive meet with a perfect score, Chiles praised Barros, who competed in three events for the second straight meet.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But my phone had been blowing up for the better part of an hour.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
One of those blew up on its landing attempt while another was purposefully expended to get its payload to a higher orbital insertion.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
All the guys were sitting around, laughing.—
Jayson Jenks,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Asked for his take on the matter, Carollo laughed.—
Tess Riski
January 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Local media cited poor visibility as a possible cause of the crash, which is being investigated by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
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But what’s actually happening mirrors the post dot-com crash era, where independent creators are doubling down and building new and groundbreaking applications.—
Cortney Harding,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His ability to not only balance our budget but to turn a surplus while adding so many citizens is a model that should be applauded and envied.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
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Appeal expected Immigration advocates and lawyers involved in the litigation applauded the decision.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Strolling past glass display cases of fossils and earthenware artifacts, my eyes landed on a rack by the main entrance with flyers advertising children’s events and local flea markets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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Creators advertise their own products on the social media app, driving users to a storefront hosted on TikTok; the platform then earns a commission from sales.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crack-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack-up. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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