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
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 Sep. 2024
And all the better to make his crack-up that much more disorienting and unsettling.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2023
Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
The athletes — who are currently at the Chiefs' preseason training camp at Missouri Western State University — enjoyed snacks and pizza while watching the Adam Sandler comedy, which seemed to have the Chiefs screening room cracking up.
—Natasha Dye, People.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Noun
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
And all the better to make his crack-up that much more disorienting and unsettling.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2023
Verb
With his razor-sharp wit and signature storytelling style, the Emmy Award-winning funnyman will crack up audiences with tales from his road travels and most memorable meetups with folks across the political spectrum.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025
The athletes — who are currently at the Chiefs' preseason training camp at Missouri Western State University — enjoyed snacks and pizza while watching the Adam Sandler comedy, which seemed to have the Chiefs screening room cracking up.
—Natasha Dye, People.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack-up
Noun
-
At Tomah, the report showed a similar breakdown, with nine shortages among clinical staff and five nonclinical.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Cellphone bill flop prompts finger-pointing Hall seized on the vote breakdown as an example of Democratic lawmakers out of step with Whitmer and out of touch with public support for cellphone restrictions at school.—
Clara Hendrickson,
Freep.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Its systems act as a 3D camera, tracking up to 15,000 collisions each second.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Callahan was given citations for following too closely, failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision with a horse on the highway, and unreasonable speed, according to authorities.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
One fellow-freestyler praised her ingenuity but said that, in a creative category with many strong contenders, her victory was a bit disappointing.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Reviewers praise its atmospheric setting and rich world-building, but some criticised its punishing difficulty.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The mayor and his closest ally in the labor world have been seeking additional CPS funding throughout the district’s budget crisis that blew up much of Johnson’s second year.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Now my parents can log in, scroll to their hearts’ content, and comment on their grandchild’s latest antics without blowing up my phone.—
Daphne Wilder,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Was he supposed to laugh at him and call him a loser?—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The driver filmed the incident and laughed as an officer chased after him, court documents say.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Emergency services deployed 62 rescuers and 22 support vehicles to the crash, according to local media.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Authorities have not yet given an official cause for the crash and police are still investigating at the scene.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The user who tweeted the video, @SMHIghlights1, taunted Sanders for wanting the starting quarterback job because Cleveland lost, and instead of joining in on the mockery, several fans in the comment section actually applauded Sanders for being a good teammate.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
-
On one hand, many applauded Williams for her transparency.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
These rankings consider advertised monthly rates for entry-level plans, not including equipment fees or taxes.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Tuesday’s event, originally advertised as taking place in a church parking lot roughly a mile from the conference hall, was moved because the church did not want to be affiliated with it, a church employee told the Star-Telegram.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crack-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack-up. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share