cracked 1 of 2

Definition of crackednext
informal + disparaging

cracked

2 of 2

verb

past tense of crack
1
as in popped
to break suddenly with an explosive sound the tree branch unexpectedly cracked under our weight

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in choked
to yield to mental or emotional stress after hours of tough questioning the suspect finally cracked and blurted out a confession

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in deciphered
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5
6

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 cracked
Adjective
Morgan said the cracked asphalt thawing and expanding and freezing again over a few weeks can make a small pothole grow into a larger one. Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026 Federal aviation officials said the crew reported a cracked windshield and a possible pressurization issue after the bird strike. Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
The world cracked open, and now everyone’s striving to fit the jagged pieces back into a box called civilized society. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2026 The Case for Skepticism None of this means robots have cracked the infection problem. Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • There, a mad, out-of-control Mary lives on as tenaciously as George Washington’s inability to tell a lie.
    Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • At this maddest of sporting institutions, that is perhaps the craziest hope of all.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • In October 1969, a message popped up on a computer screen at Stanford University in Northern California.
    Laura Isensee, Scientific American, 18 May 2026
  • That’s when the light bulb popped to combine the nutrient-dense lupini beans into a high-quality durum wheat pasta.
    Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • The Strait of Hormuz remains choked.
    Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
  • The woman said she was beaten and choked for hours.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • By slow degrees, Philip’s story shifts to accommodate the incontrovertible evidence of IP addresses and deciphered cryptography and Lucy struggles to keep up, let alone understand.
    Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
  • The researchers then deciphered certain traits that were linked to the habit.
    Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • What to read next In these simulations, the team was able to show how Triton being captured into the Neptune system actually knocked Nereid into its current, highly eccentric orbit.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 20 May 2026
  • Nothing about her performance knocked me out.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • The shift solved a basic problem, advocates say.
    Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 15 May 2026
  • Having regulations put into place through this upcoming legislation is a win for both sides, especially if the overall revenue problems plaguing college athletics can at least be solved.
    Trey Wallace, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • She has also been disturbed by the increase in what looks to her like a lack of trust in science, as seen in falling vaccination rates and rising instances of diseases like measles.
    Deepti Hajela, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • When to Plant Watermelon Seeds Most seed catalogs recommend direct sowing watermelon seeds into gardens or pots because watermelons don’t like to have their roots disturbed.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
Adjective
  • Thank god because the Special pitch was, said with love to my younger self, psychotic.
    Ryan O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 4 May 2026
  • Leaving people with serious, untreated psychotic illnesses to publicly deteriorate isn’t compassion in the slightest.
    Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on cracked

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster