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

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as in chokes

to yield to mental or emotional stress after hours of tough questioning the suspect finally cracked and blurted out a confession

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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

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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

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as in solves

to find an answer for through reasoning I've been mulling this riddle, but I just can't crack it

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as in crazes

to cause to go insane or as if insane cracked by years in solitary confinement, the prisoner could only maunder incoherently

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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

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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

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as in claps

a loud explosive sound the tree fell with a sharp crack

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as in attempts

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

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as in jokes

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

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as in eccentrics

a person of odd or whimsical habits that conspiracy theorist has been labeled a crack by the ballistics experts

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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

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 Jessica transforms the betrayal of a generation taught that work would protect them into visceral cinema, where illness cracks the skin while luxury masks collapse. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 7 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

However, a friendship with the family’s new housemaid, Bridget Sullivan (Vicky Krieps), cracks open Lizzie’s world, shepherding her along a bright and bloody path that will forever go down in infamy. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026 Both releases are another reminder of the vital role physical media companies continue to play in keeping film history and culture alive, especially for essential Indies that might otherwise fall through the cracks. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026 These legends are way past hiding the cracks in their voices or the lines on their faces. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026 There should be no loose parts, cracks, or worn out straps and fasteners. — Melissa Willets, Parents, 17 Sep. 2026 The cracks appear when an application moves from a demo to thousands of transactions. — Nitin Gupta, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026 By using it, groups of people have fallen through the cracks and conditions have been caught late. — Rebecca Ramirez, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026 When a team’s roster is inferior, cracks in the managerial mettle tend to be more noticeable. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 That unity has shown some cracks, with superstar Carlos Alcaraz, one of the original signatories, recently withdrawing from the effort. — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracks

Verb

Where Saka pops up throughout the 2026-27 season will be particularly interesting.

— Art de Roché, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
When their family's love curse pops up again, the siblings work with their aunts (Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest) and Sally's kids (Joey King and Maisie Williams) to break it once and for all.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 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

Verb

When a headline knocks a stock down, the useful question is whether anything inside the business moved.

— Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Brink is no stranger to the injury bug, as this is just the latest in a series of knocks the Sparks center has taken recently.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of knocks

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