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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crack-up
Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
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
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Winner This week's winner left us cracking up with his acting skills.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Noun
Despite the book’s title, Buchanan had some hope for the West (in his us-and-them sense of the term) and was confident in globalism’s impending crack-up.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
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
Verb
The camera cut to O’Leary cracking up in the audience.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Winner This week's winner left us cracking up with his acting skills.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack-up
Noun
-
Instead, the researchers think the violence stemmed from a breakdown of friendships and escalations between cliques and rivals.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Any breakdown interrupts the missile’s ability to stay on course.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The near collision comes less than a month after a fatal crash took place between an Air Canada flight and a firetruck at New York's LaGuardia Airport in late March.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The collision resulted in serious injuries to the motorcyclist.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The response was praised by Republican politicians, who widely denounced the content of the chats, which was filled with slurs for Black, Jewish and gay people and included graphic calls for violence against Black people.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Cornice headboards are trending again, praised for a classic, layered look.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Ukraine has developed expertise to destroy them through electronic jamming as well as using small, cheap interceptor drones to blow up the Shahed drones.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The crowd laughed, and the Parenthood actor noted that people intervened and broke up the fight.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Roberts laughed, but the twinkle in his eye was genuine.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During the chaos, community members like local restaurant owner Ron Grady stepped up to offer warm shelter and food to those who were stranded in the cold due to the massive multi-vehicle crash.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Losada and Collins, who remain close friends, still talk about the crash a year later, helping each other cope with the pain.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But even some of TMZ’s usual detractors have applauded its pivot to name-and-shame political coverage.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce applauded the funding increase in a release.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The pairings could be advertised in advance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The company pioneered product branding, starting with its Ivory soap in 1879 and advertising it directly to consumers.—
Alexander Coolidge,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crack-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack-up. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
