cracked 1 of 2

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
And everything’s not exactly rosy in the core business, which still is dealing with a cracked, state-by-state regulatory environment. Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025 Perform a visual inspection Look for cracked or frayed cables or other obvious signs of damage. Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
Their helicopter entrance, the live music, the lyrics—everything cracked open a world that resonated with him. Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025 Buffalo seemingly cracked the code to keep Mahomes at bay, despite the gunslinging quarterback continuously finding his targets for 28-yard completions or more. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • There's a reasonable chance that your Dem Senator who voted against it and is acting mad now was in on the play.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Elizabeth is the budding mad doctor’s fiancee, who’s dismembered under the blades of a rogue lawnmower in the opening scene of the film.
    Katie Rife, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Murals depicting him mid-throw popped up in the city virtually overnight.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Applovin — The software stock popped more than 6% on the heels of its better-than-expected quarterly results.
    Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • But the evening wasn’t without late-game drama, as the Wildcats choked away an early 18-point lead as the 49ers cut the margin down to two with less than 30 seconds to play.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2025
  • From long before dawn until well past dark, similar rafts choked the river, packed with as many as 20 migrants per raft.
    Daniel Gonzalez, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • While expeditions in the early 1990s deciphered crucial insights into the ship’s final moments, one expedition drew sharp criticism after a crewman’s body was found.
    Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • All these tropes — gaydar and girls without it — make for easier narratives, but the presumption that the codes of the heart can be deciphered on the body is one that, outside the world of absurdist comedy — and probably sometimes within it as well — can wound and damage.
    Kelly Foster Lundquist, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The campaign touted 3 million doors knocked and 90,000 volunteers.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The Lancers remained patient, chipping away until taking a 17-16 lead after three straight OLP errors, including Prior and Charlotte Wickstrand colliding on a ball, which knocked Wickstrand out for the set.
    Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • There’s no reason for Freeman to look at Saturday night and believe anything got solved in the last seven days.
    Pete Sampson, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Despite vocal support from Aspire Capitol Heights families and a concerted effort from school leaders to prove that the school’s fiscal and academic issues could be solved, the board voted 4-1 to deny the school’s charter renewal.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The whales' communication can be disturbed by underwater noise made by humans, and the interference often deters them from certain crucial areas, like breeding and feeding locations.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
  • For instance, Bella's first meeting with Edward in their biology class is supposed to be this unnerving moment, where Bella is disturbed by Edward's apparent repulsion toward her.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Whitford hopes his team’s EEG test could eventually be used to assess someone’s risk of developing psychotic symptoms and hallucinations.
    Hannah Seo, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2025
  • So Psykotic was supposed to be psychotic, obviously.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.

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