cracked 1 of 2

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

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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
Dry winter air can leave you with cracked, peeling skin, gritty eyes, and a scratchy throat. Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2026 Between frigid air, indoor heat and constant dehydration, winter can turn even the most luxe lipstick into a cracked, fading afterthought. Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
First he's admired, then he's cracked or cut, a hop-tastic moment that turns a bunny spectacle into shareable bites. Mike Snider, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026 The building’s limestone and stucco exterior is badly cracked, and four of the Corinthian pillars in the colonnade are close to fracturing. Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • As often happens with Furze’s inventions, one wonders whether this goes beyond a mad backyard YouTube experiment.
    Omar Kardoudi March 22, New Atlas, 22 Mar. 2026
  • The book is mad, and all the madder for being unsmilingly sincere.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Big Oil stocks popped, but not so much.
    Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Many a Reddit thread and law firm blog post have popped up to answer questions about how proprietors ought to respond to lawsuits.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Such an outcome could slash oil prices, flooding the market with supply currently choked by military threats in the Strait of Hormuz.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026
  • As ProPublica detailed earlier this year, Bazan was tackled and choked by immigration agents who were chasing his undocumented father in Houston.
    Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, scientists identified the virus, deciphered its secrets, concocted a vaccine, put it into production, and rendered the disease manageable – all within a year.
    David Blumenthal, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Researchers using advanced imaging technology have deciphered 79 previously invisible inscriptions — including love notes, drawings of gladiators, and everyday messages — on a wall in the ancient city of Pompeii, offering a rare window into the lives of ordinary people nearly 2,000 years ago.
    Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • After a review, it was decided that Raddysh was knocked to the ice and into the crease, prohibiting Vasilevskiy from a possible save.
    CBS News, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
  • But reports that Iran had responded negatively to the proposal briefly knocked index futures off their pre-market highs and lifted oil prices off their morning lows.
    Steve Kopack, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The case was solved years later through DNA evidence, along with the exhumation of the family dog, which prosecutors said Kovacich had kicked and beaten to death.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
  • With that athleticism, the problems might be solved by pure talent.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Indiana Dunes National Park Superintendent Jason Taylor had previously announced the decision to truck the sand from the site and said no natural habitat would be disturbed.
    Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Your sleep was disturbed, and in a big way.
    Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Using marijuana also did not improve other mental health conditions such as anorexia nervosa; bipolar disorder; obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD; or psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, Wilson said.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Slovak adds a chicken-scratch guitar that sounds like Nile Rodgers stuck in a psychotic loop.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.

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