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
Other theme park heavyweights just cracked the Top 40, including Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Universal Islands of Adventure, Disney California Adventure Park, and Universal Studios Florida. Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026 Other common signs include pale skin, cracked skin at the corners of your mouth, and a swollen or sore tongue. Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • The popularity of those films has set off a mad hunt to unearth the next Parsons or Barker.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Trump got mad enough at Graham to release the senator’s personal cellphone number.
    Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Verb
  • However, its move into video podcasts has not popped in quite the same way.
    Peter White, Deadline, 16 July 2026
  • In the past year, she’s popped up in the Super Bowl halftime show, competed on Dancing With the Stars, and appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
    Eliana Dockterman, Time, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • Downwind of the disaster, Toronto, the largest city in the country, has been choked by wildfire smoke, turning the sky orange and plunging air quality levels to the worst in the world.
    Frank Landymore, Futurism, 15 July 2026
  • That student entered the circle, looped his arm around the boy’s neck and choked him.
    Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 15 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
  • While setting up an attack near the France box, midfielder Dani Olmo overcame a hard challenge that knocked him down to play a through ball to Pedro Porro.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • But England knocked Norway out of the tournament after a dramatic 2-1 victory.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the team solved this by inventing a custom catalyst that pairs cobalt with nickel.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 July 2026
  • Successful companies have a taste for what their customers want, what works and what does not, in the marketplace, and which problems should be solved and which avoided.
    Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Verb
  • As Jonas tries to get work done upstairs, he is repeatedly disturbed by his mother, who is obnoxiously kvelling about his scientific breakthroughs to a neighbor in the yard.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 July 2026
  • No matter how popular a priest is, we must be disturbed that the same man is being repeatedly accused.
    Daily Southtown, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
Adjective
  • The Drug Enforcement Administration says kratom produces stimulant effects in low doses and sedative effects in high doses, and can lead to psychotic symptoms, and psychological and physiological dependence.
    Jake Rosenwasser, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • Those diagnoses included schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome, major depressive disorder, and bipolar or related disorders.
    Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026

Cite this Entry

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