1
as in applauding
to declare enthusiastic approval of
that sports car isn't all it's cracked up to be
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crying up
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 laughing
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
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Recent Examples of cracking up
The camera cut to O’Leary cracking up in the audience.
—
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Winner This week's winner left us cracking up with his acting skills.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Kathy — who has earned an enormous fan base thanks to her honesty and lack of pretense on the Bravo reality series — had the crowd at the Caesars Forum convention center cracking up from the moment the panel began.
—Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The woods may be overrun, this year, with cabins in the woods capable of cracking up couples by laying all their faults bare.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
The surprisingly funny duo kept social media fans cracking up, but after about a year, their relationship quietly ended.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 29 Sep. 2025
Apa and Cline are both cracking up now as Apa drops one more bomb.
—EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Winner This week's winner left us cracking up with his acting skills.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Kathy — who has earned an enormous fan base thanks to her honesty and lack of pretense on the Bravo reality series — had the crowd at the Caesars Forum convention center cracking up from the moment the panel began.
—Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025
The woods may be overrun, this year, with cabins in the woods capable of cracking up couples by laying all their faults bare.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
The surprisingly funny duo kept social media fans cracking up, but after about a year, their relationship quietly ended.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 29 Sep. 2025
Apa and Cline are both cracking up now as Apa drops one more bomb.
—EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracking up
Verb
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However, some pastors, including Louisiana minister Rodney Kennedy, are applauding the protesters' ambush.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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However, the home fans were applauding Vinícius after his solo goal that made it 5-0 in the 63rd minute.—
Steve Douglas,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ways to do that include cold showers, taking a nature walk, laughing, taking deep breaths, listening to something relaxing, or humming to yourself.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
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No one spoke until Chuky shuddered his head and this time without laughing said, Shit, that’s crazy.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The programs are some of the biggest things he’s done for the county, Karner said, praising their impact.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
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Transportation and accelerated bridge construction Transportation featured prominently, with Healey again praising MBTA General Manager Phil Eng to the most rancorous applause of the night.—
Sam Drysdale,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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More news to know now Trump backs away from blowing up NATO.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
22 Jan. 2026
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The story is set in the mid-2000s and centers on betrayal, both personal and political, culminating in a plot to assassinate late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il – father of current leader Kim Jong Un – by blowing up his train.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Social media users, meanwhile, could not get enough of the two getting tipsy on-air and giggling through the night.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
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This is perfect for emergency organic kale runs or ripping around backcountry carvers with four giggling friends (or, in this author’s case, one friend and three ebullient toddlers in car seats).—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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About 1,200 exhibitors hailing from 50 countries, including 140 new firms, are taking over the Fieramilano Rho fairgrounds.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Ultimately hailing from Philadelphia’s Drexel University, the former Westphal College dean is known for developing a novel apprenticeship model with the locally leading conglomerate, URBN.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Presenter Hailee Steinfeld made her first red carpet appearance since announcing she and husband Josh Allen were expecting their first child together in a baby pink dress with a small train and Repossi jewelry.—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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Anticipating the arrival of letters has become part of the rhythm of Helen’s day, part of the light shifting across the kitchen floor and the cuckoo of her wooden clock announcing every hour.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Under the watchful eye of sheriffs deputies who threatened to ticket anyone caught standing in the road, along with a small number of National Guard members, the protesters took turns screaming swears and warming up in nearby parked cars.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
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An exodus of prosecutors who didn’t care for his staff screaming sessions and boorish press conferences.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cracking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracking%20up. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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