1
as in applauding
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 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
Mark Toothaker, a stallion sales manager for Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, was on the couch cracking up with his wife, Malory, about the whiffed field goal and consequential turnover.
—
Kelly O'Grady,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
The dogs were confused, not sure whether to attack or run for cover, and Susan was cracking up.
—
Sid Evans,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
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
Kelly O'Grady,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
The dogs were confused, not sure whether to attack or run for cover, and Susan was cracking up.
—
Sid Evans,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracking up
Verb
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The Ross Township Police Department shared the video on Facebook on Monday, applauding Sergeant Chuberko and Officer Roy for rescuing the deer.
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The bottom line is that none of this is worth applauding.
Verb
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Ripley was honored for a heroic effort to halt the advance of North Vietnamese forces by blowing up a crucial bridge in 1972.
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Ripley was honored for a heroic effort to halt the advance of North Vietnamese forces by blowing up a crucial bridge in 1972.
Verb
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Cameras later caught Cunningham laughing as Bonner's meltdown escalated, and both players were hit with technical fouls.
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Gates recalled laughing at his thriftiness—but for the hedge fund mogul, every penny counts.
Verb
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Longtime friends Robert De Niro and Streep shared a friendly smooch during the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala in 2018, following the actor's speech praising the star.
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Bruckheimer kicked off the conversation by praising Cue and the Apple team.
Verb
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According to the brand, Dew & Light's popularity in Korea and Japan reflects a broader appreciation for scents that feel clean, delicate, and effortless—fragrances that complement your presence instead of announcing it.
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Aviation joined EgyptAir in announcing the new nonstop flight service back in March.
Verb
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Humans and great apes have been giggling in similar ways since branching off the evolutionary tree, a new study suggests.
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The two brothers were spotted giggling during a ceremonial carriage ride.
Verb
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Ride-hailing companies would also be required to background check every driver before hiring them, and continue to do so on an annual basis.
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Super apps are ubiquitous in China and much of Southeast Asia—platforms like WeChat and Alipay that bundle messaging, payments, food delivery, ride-hailing, and commerce into a single destination, so that users rarely need to leave the app to conduct daily life.
Verb
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But in the days after Cape Verde drew against Spain, a different company began advertising Blue Sharks jerseys on social media.
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Daniels faces three counts of having and selling fighting animals and eight counts of advertising them online.
Cite this Entry
“Cracking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracking%20up. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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