CRACKS Synonyms: 406 Similar and Opposite Words

cracks 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of crack

as in pops

to break suddenly with an explosive sound the tree branch unexpectedly cracked under our weight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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

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

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

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

cracks

2 of 2

noun

plural of crack

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

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

as in claps

a loud explosive sound the tree fell with a sharp crack

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in attempts

an effort to do or accomplish something this is my first crack at painting

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in jokes

something said or done to cause laughter a whispered crack made the whole back row start laughing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of cracks

Verb

The story centers on a transfer student’s enigmatic bond with a teacher, as a string of unexplained, supernatural incidents cracks the school’s polished facade. — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026 And Guy Pearce cracks it as the Aussie who beat the Brits at their own game of publishing. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026 When Pennywise cracks a joke, the contrast of his antics with the scary stuff can be more impactful, have more personality, than just scare after scare. — Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026 Anyone who cracks your unlock code can get into nearly every app, from banking to social media and even your email—the keys to the kingdom. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Pre-fall closes the chapter on summer but cracks one open to fall. — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026 When that belief cracks, the line stops being a signal and starts being a complaint. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 July 2026 Nobody cracks 60 points, even though this was early in the cap era when scoring was up. — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 30 July 2026 Holmes deduces that each pose represents a letter and cracks the code by matching the most common poses with the most common letters. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 1 July 2026

Noun

Guillermo del Toro Everyone seems to love the director of Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water, but this Gothic romantic horror flick often falls through the cracks when people talk about Guillermo del Toro. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026 Scoring leveled out as the game went on — the Suns didn’t crack 30 points in a quarter again — but the opening 12 minutes showed plenty of cracks the Bulls need to patch up. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 As more telehealth sites prescribe these medications and pitch them as a way to lose weight while saving money, some patient advocates argue that more people like Kinkade will fall through the cracks of a broken regulatory system. — Alana Semuels, Time, 7 Oct. 2026 Carrie’s world cracks open after her father’s death, and she is jolted from the confines of her quaint home for the first time to attend high school. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 But thank you very much, Nebraska, for Fred Astaire, Johnny Carson and Henry Fonda, who, by the way, was born in Grand Island, where Trump made his cracks Monday about California. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Boise State’s run defense showed its first cracks this past week against Utah State, giving up five running plays of at least 10 yards, including two for 46 and 64 yards. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 6 Oct. 2026 Worshippers lined Cybele’s cracks with silver and installed her in a temple dedicated in 191 BCE on Palatine Hill, considered to be the birthplace of Rome. — Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026 Doing so would entail repairing cracks that admit water, maintaining the foundations of each section, applying a sealant to slow the weathering process, and keeping the encroachment of vegetation in check. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracks

Verb

In Robin’s imagination, the moon grows large and then pops like a ballon, leaving Robin and readers alike in awe of the world’s small moments of magic.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Birdbuddy abandoned the long skinny Nature Cam for a circular camera that pops in magnetically.

— Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of pops

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
With that base knowledge and his opponent’s game tape, Nolan analyzes wide receiver alignments and deciphers the offense's attack.

— Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Sep. 2025

Definition of deciphers

Noun

Groundwater steadily rises through fissures in the limestone bedrock, providing the spring with a constant flow of pristine water.

— Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026
Allegations expose fissures within SEIU Two law firms conducted separate investigations into Regan’s behavior at SEIU California, an umbrella group consisting of 17 local service unions.

— Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of fissures

Noun

Ditka and Ryan had an often adversarial relationship, with the two nearly coming to blows during halftime of the team's only 1985 season loss, to the Miami Dolphins.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Even with a human controlling the machine remotely, LaPenna was still trading blows with a heavy metal robot capable of putting real force behind its movements.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026