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
Late Saturday, the crews entered the facility to make a visual examination of the cracked container, which officials believed was holding 7,000 liquid gallons of methyl methacrylate, a chemical that is routinely used to make plastic. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026 As Jacobs described Lacan’s theory that babies initially form a cohesive I upon seeing their reflection, images of babies looking into cracked mirrors appeared on the screen. — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
Verb
Neglected outdoor spaces like dead grass or cracked walkways can make a bad first impression. — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 21 Sep. 2026 The Marlins initiated scoring with three runs in the second, Joe Mack’s fielder’s choice scored Jakob Marsee, and Otto Lopez cracked a two-run homer over the left field wall, his 11th of the year. — Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • To Hitchcock, the indelible feature of Roosevelt’s Presidency was his desire to protect democratic norms and processes amid crises, even as critics accused him of being a power-mad dictator or a Communist sympathizer.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The video has so many of Taylor’s favorite tropes—weddings that turn into a mess, metaphorically breaking glass, red wine spilling, mad women, chatty ghosts, symbolic houses.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Brent crude prices popped 4% yesterday but fell 3% overnight on reports of a diesel and crude stock release.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Last week, though, my eyes popped a bit as Northwestern was competitive with Indiana.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The woman denied the allegations, and Ross hit her in the chest several times, the report says, and choked her, restricting her breathing by twisting the collar of her hoodie.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Some were also choked — images jurors were shown by both the defense and the prosecution.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But a more apt comparison might be the Mirabilia Urbis Romae, in which Medieval scholars deciphered the staggering ruins of Classical Rome.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Re-creating the Herculaneum scrolls To date, one entire scroll and passages from others have been deciphered, largely thanks to the Vesuvius Challenge, a project launched in 2023 that encourages researchers to decode scrolls for cash prizes.
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Pike attacked her, knocked her to the ground and hit her in the face with her knee and foot, according to court documents.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The crash scattered pieces of the vehicle around the property and damaged a railing, melted plastic and knocked a section of brick from the building's exterior.
    — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Cage solved my next problem by insisting that the way to discover new things is to overcome our dependence on our likes and dislikes, those supposed pillars of criticism.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Consider at least one mystery from that Emmys sketch, a glimpse of the SNL logo, potentially solved.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • People, wildlife and domestic animals get valley fever when the soil in these burrows is disturbed, by a dog digging, a kick of the boot, a shovel, construction equipment, wind or wildfire.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Clean Regularly Spiders don’t like to be disturbed, so an unused area of your porch is likely to be attractive real estate.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Kratom can produce either stimulating or sedating effects, depending on the dosage taken, and can produce psychotic symptoms, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
    — Phil Helsel, NBC news, 22 Sep. 2026
  • After she was sent back to Los Angeles, Leigh suffered a psychotic break.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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