1
as in applauded
to declare enthusiastic approval of
that sports car isn't all it's cracked up to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in announced
to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively
the movie is being cracked up as the blockbuster of the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in laughed
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound
try not to crack up at your own punch lines—it's funnier if you keep a straight face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 up
Even professional designers have had to learn the hard way that some types of furniture pieces aren't all they're cracked up to be.
—
Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Leslie Jones once cracked up everyone at Saturday Night Live, including the top dog of the show.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
One room cracked up at a vulgar joke about a woman’s behind, while another went for an outrageous and surreal midfilm montage — but each bit was made genuinely funnier by the dozens of people gasping and wheezing over it.
—Robert Rubsam, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Growing up in showbiz isn't all it's cracked up to be, at least according to Shaun Cassidy.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
Original castmembers Richard Kline and Priscilla Barnes also cracked up the crowd, reprising their roles as nurse Teri and lovable lech Larry.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025
Leslie Jones once cracked up everyone at Saturday Night Live, including the top dog of the show.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Nov. 2025
One room cracked up at a vulgar joke about a woman’s behind, while another went for an outrageous and surreal midfilm montage — but each bit was made genuinely funnier by the dozens of people gasping and wheezing over it.
—Robert Rubsam, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Growing up in showbiz isn't all it's cracked up to be, at least according to Shaun Cassidy.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
Original castmembers Richard Kline and Priscilla Barnes also cracked up the crowd, reprising their roles as nurse Teri and lovable lech Larry.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked up
Verb
-
In a conversation hosted by the Italian Cultural Institute in Miami in conjunction with the Miami opening, Monsignor Alberto Rocca of Milan’s Pinocoteca Ambrosiano, applauded D&G’s use of the Catholic symbols so integral to Italian culture.—
Jane Wooldridge,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Council member Linea Palmisano gave the declaration to the family and applauded Minneapolis police for their heroic acts on the day that two children were killed and 21 others were injured.—
Frankie McLister,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Just before the talks, Iran announced its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard started the drill early Monday morning in the waterways that are crucial international trade routes through which 20% of the world's oil passes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The filmmaker’s death was announced by his family Monday in a statement released by Zipporah Films, Wiseman’s distribution company.—
Kevin Crust,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The crowd wasn’t fazed by Dillane being alone on stage and laughed often at his expletive-laced recollections on his career path.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
All my classmates laughed at me.—
Judith Levy,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
However, the priest has been praised by progressives for his academic achievements and his efforts to assist the poor.—
Manuel Rueda,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
But fans have widely praised Parker's vision and adherence to the source material.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Those Taste of the Mint events take place March 12 and March 19, but pricing has not yet been advertised.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2026
-
During the application phase, the project was advertised online, allowing all eligible companies to register via websites created by Statista and TIME.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Students giggled and gasped in disbelief.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Why Don’t We alum Daniel Seavey and a group of friends giggled by a bar.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And for the next year its law enforcement members were hailed as heroes for their efforts that prevented a horrible situation from becoming even worse.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Supervisor Patrick Kennedy hailed the two contracts with CVR Associates totaling about $1 million as the greatest change to the region’s affordable housing policy in 40 years.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
One of those blew up on its landing attempt while another was purposefully expended to get its payload to a higher orbital insertion.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
-
That’s the state of the Presleyverse in 2026, 70 years after this bratty kid blew up into the world’s most controversial superstar.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cracked up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked%20up. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
