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
  • Shortly before the final out was recorded Thursday, Royals legend George Brett popped into the White Sox suite.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Much has popped up along Meridian Road — technically a state highway under the purview of the Idaho Transportation Department.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Wartime attacks on cargo vessels in the Black Sea have choked that supply route.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • However, wartime attacks on cargo vessels in the Black Sea have choked that supply route, raising fears of shortages.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Uncertainty notwithstanding, the longevity world has glommed onto the notion that the vaginal microbiome is some kind of exotic tealeaf that can be deciphered—and perfected by purchasing the right supplements.
    — Sarah DiGregorio, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
Verb
  • On a recent weekend in Lee's district about 50 days before the election, members from the Culinary Union, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations knocked on voters' doors, hoping to sway those still undecided.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • In the fifth round, the champion landed a powerful right-hand punch that knocked Pantoja down.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 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 30 Sep. 2026.

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