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
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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
Burns cracked the top 10 after finishing 11th in the voting last year. Dan Duggan, New York Times, 28 July 2026 Once filtered, add the coriander; just add 1 tsp cracked coriander seeds to the finished cocktail, and let infuse for about 15 ti 30 minutes before straining out. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • Alec Hammond, my production designer, is just a mad scientist.
    Matt Minton, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • Fortunately, Alec Hammond, the production designer, is a is a mad scientist.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • Trick Williams popped Corbin, who bumped into Lil Yachty and went flying through the table.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Cooling gel sleeves can be popped in the freezer to soothe sore joints with icy, gentle compression.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Missile salvos and militia attacks have choked key shipping lanes, damaged Saudi oil facilities and driven up global prices even as fragile diplomacy struggles to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and avert escalation.
    Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • Entire chunks of the continent were choked by smoke, causing unhealthy air quality.
    Seth Borenstein, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
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 size and ferocity of the La Mierla fire disturbed Aragüés, yet the situation was about to get worse.
    M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Turner said the treatment of the teenagers in Seattle disturbed her even more.
    Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 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 3 Aug. 2026.

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