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
Fans crack jokes, salivate over new menu item When Domino’s shared its post about the new pizza, fans on social media cracked a few jokes. Saleen Martin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 The factory’s signature device, meant to precisely stretch the steel for the artillery shells, instead often cracked it beyond repair. Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • Frequent zoom-ins shown on screens showed sweat dripping down his face, and his hair resembled something similar to a mad scientist after an experiment blows up in their face.
    Joseph Hernandez August 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026
  • These statements and actions, some conservatives said at the time in a finger-wagging tone, demonstrated that mass suicide at the feet of a power-mad dictator was the predictable result of radical left-wing politics.
    James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Small, boutique brands have popped up in recent years with alternatives, usually marketed toward women.
    Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • But in Saturday’s game, the cornerback’s tendency to commit errors popped up, as he was flagged for two penalties in coverage.
    Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Riyadh has rerouted millions of barrels per day through a pipeline from its eastern region to its Red Sea port of Yanbu as Iran has choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz this year.
    Spencer Kimball,Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026
  • There was no escaping the black pollution that choked the neighborhood then, and no reprieve now, even five weeks after the fire was extinguished.
    Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 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
  • Ventura County Animal Services said Bruce, who was muzzled at the time, knocked the man to the ground.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Moments later, Sikorski walked past the teen girl who was recording the incident and her phone was knocked to the ground.
    Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Still, the investigation into his murder had seemed to grow so cold that even many close to the events of that night believed the case would never be solved, much less prosecuted.
    Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Over time, people remember who opened doors, solved problems and created opportunities—and those relationships often become far stronger than anything built through traditional networking.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Paper wasps build nests under eaves, benches and fence railings and will sting if disturbed.
    Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, men are also disturbed by the NFL's social media plan.
    Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Psychiatric disorders are generally divided into mood disorders and psychotic disorders, Osborne said; postpartum psychosis is a mood disorder, in which mood symptoms accompany psychotic symptoms.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But to make some generalization that all career women are psychotic because Glenn Close happened to be psychotic at the end of that movie is just silly.
    Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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