1
as in breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse
a crack-up required him to take a year off from work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of crack-up
Emily Tamkin, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2023
The movie tracks Carl’s descent, his crack-up, and his slow waking up to reality.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Apr. 2023
Jordan Greene, People.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Well, private jets aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, either.
—Jonathan Margolis, Air Mail, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Noun
Despite their differences on policy, there is little reason to expect a crack-up between the Hungarian and American right in the near future.
—Emily Tamkin, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2023
The movie tracks Carl’s descent, his crack-up, and his slow waking up to reality.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Apr. 2023
Verb
Everyone was cracking up, and Grandma was laughing too.
—Jordan Greene, People.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Well, private jets aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, either.
—Jonathan Margolis, Air Mail, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack-up
Noun
-
For a full breakdown of every Primetime Emmy race, visit our main awards page, and explore the official rankings on each individual category page.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
1 May 2025
-
After Thursday’s loss and emotional breakdowns, Świątek grabbed her back and quickly headed off the court.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
This was a post-optimistic world where new exciting collisions in biology had blossomed.—
A.D. Amorosi,
Variety,
7 May 2025
-
The Manhattan Beach Police Department said in a press release that officers responded to a report of a traffic collision between a car and pedestrian on Sepulveda Boulevard in the early morning hours of May 4.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
Verb
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More recently, Brady praised Patrick and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the Chiefs duo surpassed Brady and Rob Gronkowski’s record for postseason touchdowns by a pair in NFL history in 2024.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
3 May 2025
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Star Florence Pugh and director Jake Schreier praise Marvel for making a big-budget comic book movie about such an emotional and real issue.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
EW.com,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
My whole plan, my whole world, my whole bubble blew up.—
Erin Moriarty, Liza Finley,
CBS News,
4 May 2025
-
Since the pandemic, many tech companies have tried to walk back work-life balance accommodations made for the work-from-home era, but sometimes pushback against long hours has blown up in public.—
Richard Nieva,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
Verb
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One viewer might realize the irony and laugh at a satirical edit; another might fall down the rabbit hole for good.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2025
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The work of one of her go-to designers, Catherine Walker, this was a look that laughed in the face of minimalism.—
Olivia Allen,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The crash comes just days before the school’s prom on Saturday.—
Jasmine Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
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The driver of the truck and six of the 14 people inside the tour van died in the crash, police said.—
Elizabeth Pritchett,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2025
Verb
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After Fitzgerald’s death, a wave of eulogies applauded the author, and at least a couple of them hailed his Jazz Age novel as a classic.—
Alexander Manshel,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2025
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On the touchline, meanwhile, Guardiola was extremely animated, pleading with his fans to have patience and applauding Ake’s more conservative decision.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Bundling, or combining policies from the same provider, can result in big discounts: State Farm, Geico, Erie and Allstate all advertise rate reductions of up to 25% for enrolling in both home and car insurance.—
Dan Avery,
CNBC,
9 May 2025
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Plants advertise their nectar and pollen with a sweet, enticing odor.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crack-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack-up. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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