Definition of crackingnext

cracking

2 of 3

adverb

cracking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of crack
1
as in popping
to break suddenly with an explosive sound the tree branch unexpectedly cracked under our weight

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in choking
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 deciphering
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 cracking
Adjective
The study published in the journal Construction and Building Materials also revealed that the triangular and wavy forms significantly enhanced the beam's ability to handle post-cracking stress. — New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2026 Another uninspired performance coupled with a a heavy defeat may well spell the end for the Basque manager at the Emirates, so this fixture should have plenty of undertones and be a cracking game of football. — SI.com, 28 Oct. 2019 His fortunes finally turned back Wednesday, when van Garderen laid down a cracking time trial at the Tour of California. — sacbee, 16 May 2018
Verb
Their success in cracking the code gave the Allies critical intelligence and helped turn the tide of World War II. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026 But sadly for the multi trillion dollar company, some of the larger, inner screens on its $2,000-plus devices are already cracking, and early postmortems point to their faulty hinge design. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 28 Oct. 2026 Somewhere up in heaven, Bob Uecker is cracking open a cold Miller Lite. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026 The most commonly used and easiest to understand are known as cracking and packing. — CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 When Samsung launched one of its first folding phones in 2019, reviewers quickly found its inner screen cracking during normal use. — Lena Borrelli, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 This weekend, iFixit published its teardown of the phone and gave its perspective on why some phones might be cracking. — Jay Peters, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026 There are paintings of boats and horses, and a long, no-nonsense bar top with a captain behind it constantly cracking blisteringly cold martini shakers over martini glasses. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026 The studio had an eight-month shoot for The Beast of Mossy Bottom, cracking out footage at the breakneck pace of nearly two seconds per day. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracking
Adjective
  • Bold from brown butter and balsamic vinegar and bright from lemon, the crunchy topping is an excellent foil to the sweetness of roasted squash.
    — Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Their bench even has some guys providing excellent backup options.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Adverb
  • How Cube Steak Is Used and Cooked Cube steak is extremely versatile.
    — Natalia Vela, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2026
  • California has gotten extremely soft on accountability with youth.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Since then, the mobile bookstore has attended well over 100 events, popping up at breweries, fitness centers, book clubs and book fairs across the metro.
    — Beret Leone, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Investors voiced growing worry the AI bubble will burst, as concerns mounted over eye-popping capex plans, debt issuance, and expansion.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Potential choking hazards such as loose beads or strings should also be avoided.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Lonna Drewes accused Swalwell of drugging, raping and choking her in 2018 during a news conference earlier this year.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Bahdanau was working with artificial neural networks, which had already shown promise in pattern-recognition tasks such as deciphering handwriting and identifying objects in photos.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to developing better medicines or perfumes, deciphering the mirror images of molecules can help scientists understand the chemical architecture of life, said chemist Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of the journal Science.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Austin has spent her evenings the last few weeks knocking on voters’ doors, arguing for the cause.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • In June, before the summer rains return, people gather saguaro fruit, knocking it from towering cacti with a kuipad, a long pole made of saguaro ribs, then dry the protein-rich seeds and make jam from the fruit.
    — Tovar Cerulli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Another to stop solving problems his team brings him and teach them to solve it instead.
    — Ben Plomion, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Especially in a creative company like ours, the best ideas come from people in the same room, sharing perspectives, challenging one another and solving problems.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • His work is autobiographical and based on whatever has been bothering him that year.
    — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • For example, companies that benefit from customers not bothering to cancel subscriptions, compare prices, or search for better deals have taken a beating in recent weeks.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cracking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracking. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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