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cracked up

verb

past tense of crack up
1
as in applauded
to declare enthusiastic approval of that sports car isn't all it's cracked up to be

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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

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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, 23 Aug. 2026 Being at the top of your game and winning on the biggest stages isn’t always all it's cracked up to be. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026 And leftovers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, especially after multiple days on repeat. — Sheela Prakash, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 July 2026 Is tofu all it's cracked up to be? — Sam Woodward, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026 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 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
  1. applauded
  2. announced
  3. laughed
  4. praised
  5. advertised
  6. giggled
  7. hailed
  8. blew up
Verb
  • He also was applauded by many people for his actions on the sideline.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The group People Not Politicians Missouri, which sponsored the redistricting referendum, applauded the Supreme Court decisions that left the state court ruling in place.
    — DAVID A. LIEB, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of applauded
Verb
  • The new equipment was announced at an industry conference in Wuxi, China, on September 2 and covers several key stages of semiconductor production.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • After starting, the student said, Carleen leaders announced the program would actually take nine months to complete.
    — Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of announced
Verb
  • In response, the actress simply laughed and turned to walk away with a friend who accompanied her.
    — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Many researchers laughed at the programs’ sometimes embarrassing errors and doubted the models’ utility.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of laughed
Verb
  • Pembroke Pines Police Chief Jose Vargas on Wednesday made the decision to shut down all license-plate cameras in the city, a decision urged by Mayor Angelo Castillo and praised by commissioners during their regular meeting Thursday night.
    — Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Speaking outside the court Friday, defense attorney Kevin Reddington praised Clancy for enduring in such a difficult situation.
    — Carmel Wroth, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of praised
Verb
  • Cooper Barkate came as advertised Friday, with four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The experience sharpened her understanding of the gap between the freedoms advertised to women and those actually available to them.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of advertised
Verb
  • Brandy and Goldberg smiled and giggled throughout the entire show, full of joy as the models twirled and commanded the runway in pieces ranging from cocktail dresses to red carpet-worthy gowns.
    — Anika Reed, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The dynamic duo giggled and hugged as curious onlookers took out their iPhones and started snapping away.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of giggled
Verb
  • An irritated Pitts hailed a cab and headed down the West Side Highway.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The unusual circumstances that piqued the interest of casual players was hailed as a once-in-a-lifetime gift that would widen the playing field for gaming consumers.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of hailed
Verb
  • Over the summer, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss blew up the storied institution by firing its executive producer and key correspondents and bringing in far less experienced replacements, including several right-leaning opinion journalists.
    — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Suspect accused of illegally operating business Two months before the building blew up, a neighboring business owner noticed extremely high levels of carbon dioxide in their business, according to an affidavit.
    — Josh Kelly, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of blew up

Browse Nearby Words

cracked (on)
cracked up
cracked wise
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Cite this Entry

“Cracked up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked%20up. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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