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
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 Shake good and hard for eight to 10 seconds, strain into a rocks or tall glass onto cracked or crushed ice, and garnish with a lime wheel, wedge, or peel. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 9 May 2026
Verb
The floor was also covered with fecal matter, cracked eggs and urine, deputies said. Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 It's all been cosmetic thus far, and nothing has broken or cracked. Joe Salas july 20, New Atlas, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • But Carveout 2160 is a new IP in snowboarding, which was responsible for the fastest and maddest games of the era.
    Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • Tamra is right; Shannon and some of the other cast are looking for things to get mad about, taking tiny things and blowing them up.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • Lindor popped one up to the infield for the second out, but Bo Bichette hit an RBI single to keep the inning alive.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
  • The bride gave the rest of her guests hugs and popped a bottle of Dom Pérignon for a toast.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 26 July 2026
Verb
  • City Councilmember Rowena Brown said she was punched, choked and dragged by her hair through her downtown Oakland apartment over the weekend by an acquaintance who is now charged with felony counts of assault, robbery and false imprisonment.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
  • The Mets entered this season overhauling a roster that choked away the best record in the league last summer, which turned in a league-high $329 million payroll.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • Its successor script, Linea B, was also a mystery until it was deciphered in 1952 by an amateur linguist and cryptographer Michael Ventris with the help of classicist John Chadwick, both building on patterns in the script first identified by classicist Alice Kober.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 23 June 2026
  • The signature was deciphered with the help of AI, and specialists at auction house Lyon & Turnbull were able to confirm that Cadell was the artist.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • As Occhicone knocked on windows and doors, he was confronted by Gerrity's 66-year-old father, Raymon Artzner.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • In one photo, Bloom appeared to have just popped his head out of the water as Laemmel approached, and in another, the model wrapped her arms around the actor before — as seen in another snap — a wave knocked Bloom over into the water.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
Verb
  • The gap between frontier AI companies and the rest of the industry comes down to who has solved the infrastructure problem.
    Lucas Zhao, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Elliott said the issue could be solved in part by making sure that more revenue is generated from the richest residents.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2026
Verb
  • The gunk Bondurant observed was likely didymo disturbed off the bottom of the river by people swimming and walking around.
    Hannah Smith July 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026
  • By contrast, ecological systems are complexly interconnected, meaning that when one element is disturbed, all the other components linked to it are affected, too, spreading the disturbance throughout the system.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Adjective
  • The evaluator concluded the elder Henrichsen likely merited a diagnosis of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder.
    Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
  • In a recent eight-week stretch, 6% of my postpartum patients met criteria for a psychotic disorder—almost six times higher than rates published in the medical literature.
    Uruj Kamal Haider, Time, 21 July 2026

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked. Accessed 31 Jul. 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