1
2
as in chokes
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 deciphers
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
as in knocks
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
cracked the bow of the ship with a champagne bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in solves
to find an answer for through reasoning
I've been mulling this riddle, but I just can't crack it
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in crazes
to cause to go insane or as if insane
cracked by years in solitary confinement, the prisoner could only maunder incoherently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fissures
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure
a pebble struck the car's windshield and left a spidery crack in it
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
a disciplinary crack on the hand with a ruler was once common in schoolrooms
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in claps
a loud explosive sound
the tree fell with a sharp crack
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
5
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
a whispered crack made the whole back row start laughing
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in eccentrics
a person of odd or whimsical habits
that conspiracy theorist has been labeled a crack by the ballistics experts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of cracks
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Phillies avoid Shohei Ohtani, but Jhoan Duran cracks Jhoan Duran faced 81 batters after a summer trade brought him to the Phillies.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Apple will be there waiting, sitting on a mountain of cash, ready to partner with (or outright acquire) whichever operation cracks the code.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
For example, Harvard barely cracks the top 30.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Video of Bo Nix‘s rookie season plays on an endless loop — until, at last, someone cracks the code.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
The younger woman cracks her neck side to side.
—Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
If the suspension knuckle cracks the suspension arm may detach.
—James Powel, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
What struck me as beautiful about the scene on the staircase when Peggy breaks down with her mother in the finale is that Peggy finally cracks under the weight of carrying this grief and walking such a tightrope.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
On the other end, the Wave started to break through the cracks a little more, including a couple golden looks in the 74th minute.
—Austin White, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
People are typically exposed to radon through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Then on 11/11, the ascension portal cracks open as Jupiter retrogrades in Cancer, illuminating your community and friendship sector.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
Even the imperfections in the costume — the slightly off-shoulder veil, the asymmetry — hint at the cracks in her composure.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
There were gaps and cracks at the metal flashing joints throughout the cook lines.
—Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Dudes gifted enough and clever enough to plaster over the cracks left by Sanders’ coaching staff.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
So at 3-6, with obvious cracks beginning to show and Hendrickson bound for free agency in March, there is a reasonable chance the star pass-rusher is back on the market.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
Tom almost completes his and then cracks it while putting it in the freezer.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Phillies avoid Shohei Ohtani, but Jhoan Duran cracks Jhoan Duran faced 81 batters after a summer trade brought him to the Phillies.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Apple will be there waiting, sitting on a mountain of cash, ready to partner with (or outright acquire) whichever operation cracks the code.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
For example, Harvard barely cracks the top 30.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Video of Bo Nix‘s rookie season plays on an endless loop — until, at last, someone cracks the code.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
The younger woman cracks her neck side to side.
—Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
If the suspension knuckle cracks the suspension arm may detach.
—James Powel, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
What struck me as beautiful about the scene on the staircase when Peggy breaks down with her mother in the finale is that Peggy finally cracks under the weight of carrying this grief and walking such a tightrope.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
On both, the upper features two distinct elements split by an uneven gold line intended to replicate the use of the metal to seal cracks on broken pottery.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
On the other end, the Wave started to break through the cracks a little more, including a couple golden looks in the 74th minute.
—Austin White, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
People are typically exposed to radon through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Then on 11/11, the ascension portal cracks open as Jupiter retrogrades in Cancer, illuminating your community and friendship sector.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
Even the imperfections in the costume — the slightly off-shoulder veil, the asymmetry — hint at the cracks in her composure.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
There were gaps and cracks at the metal flashing joints throughout the cook lines.
—Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Dudes gifted enough and clever enough to plaster over the cracks left by Sanders’ coaching staff.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
So at 3-6, with obvious cracks beginning to show and Hendrickson bound for free agency in March, there is a reasonable chance the star pass-rusher is back on the market.
—Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracks
Verb
-
Pull the linguistic thread a little further, and the word pops up as a mark of frustration.—
L. Carol Ritchie,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Not so in Canada, as the Blackhawks star pops up in commercials pretty frequently — including a CIBC ad with none other than Connor McDavid, which seems to be running on a loop north of the border.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Left to die, breathless and alone, Invisigal chokes while Robert screams from the other end of the comms.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Even the woman Larry falls for, Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), isn't immune to the animal's evil charms, and the creature nearly chokes the life out of her in one scene.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Qualcomm’s chip can run Linux, along with Arduino software, and can even do computer vision, which deciphers what a camera sees and translates it into software.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
-
My body no longer deciphers its signals correctly.—
Alaa Alqaisi
August 13,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
However, when a wealthy telecommunications CEO knocks on their door and reveals his plans to regain the public’s trust in supers, the Parrs are all in.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Latin social dance is a place where people leave their worries at the door, but in Chicago, fear over immigration crackdowns knocks anyway.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One of Koch’s other retirement projects was a book series about a mayor who solves murders.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
That solves a lot of problems, a lot of ills of society.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Famous for their made-to-order burgers and secret menu hacks, California-based In-N-Out has been flipping patties since 1948, building a devoted fan base that predates social media crazes.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The reality is that the global network has become a transmission mechanism for all kinds of manias and panics, just as the combination of printing and literacy temporarily increased the prevalence of millenarian sects and witch crazes.—
Niall Ferguson,
Foreign Affairs,
15 Aug. 2017
Noun
-
Those fissures burst into the open last week, when Tucker Carlson conducted a friendly interview with the cheerfully white nationalist streamer Nick Fuentes.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The journalist Beth Macy, who in her previous books chronicled the widening fissures in American society by examining the opioid crisis and the aftereffects of globalization, grew up there.—
Alex Kotlowitz,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The groundbreaking research penetrated the last moments of the young nobleman, who suffered a terrible 26 blows.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Despite major strides in the right direction, the push for a greener future has been dealt several devastating blows from a fraught supply chain, economic headwinds and political setbacks.—
Katherine Fung,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cracks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracks. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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