1
as in plagued
to cause persistent suffering to
the young man was racked with guilt over the lie he had told to his parents the country has been racked by years of civil war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pulled
to injure by overuse, misuse, or pressure
she racked her brain trying to remember where she'd put the money the sails of the boat were racked by the storm's winds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of racked
Much of Tuesday’s suit focuses on the spring of 2024, when increasingly tumultuous protests over Israel’s war in Gaza racked UCLA.
—
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
During the fight, Anthony pulled out a firearm, racked the slide and began yelling at one of the members of the opposing group, witnesses told police.
—Annasofia Scheve, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Feb. 2026
Now she was racked by guilt and embarrassment.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Those benefits include a $6 million loan, a $3 million villa in the Dominican Republic and an American Express Centurion card that racked more than $4 million in expenditures over three years.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
The country is racked by gang violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
—Dallas Morning News, 2 Feb. 2026
But this time, he’s racked with guilt that everything that is happening is his fault.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 2 Jan. 2026
These days, the film industry is racked with anxiety about impending corporate mergers, uneven box-office returns, the rise of artificial intelligence and other nail-biting twists.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
During the fight, Anthony pulled out a firearm, racked the slide and began yelling at one of the members of the opposing group, witnesses told police.
—Annasofia Scheve, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Feb. 2026
Now she was racked by guilt and embarrassment.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Those benefits include a $6 million loan, a $3 million villa in the Dominican Republic and an American Express Centurion card that racked more than $4 million in expenditures over three years.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
The country is racked by gang violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
—Dallas Morning News, 2 Feb. 2026
But this time, he’s racked with guilt that everything that is happening is his fault.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 2 Jan. 2026
These days, the film industry is racked with anxiety about impending corporate mergers, uneven box-office returns, the rise of artificial intelligence and other nail-biting twists.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racked
Verb
-
The violence captured on cellphone videos and shared around the globe – buses burning, gas stations attacked, military helicopters flying overhead – wasn’t just happening in remote rural towns long plagued by drug violence.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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But controversial government efforts to redress inequalities have been plagued by corruption and cronyism.—
Michael H Gavshon,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He was pulled from the game with one out in his second inning after throwing 36 pitches, just 17 strikes.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The Bears trailed 1-0 in the final minute of regulation, but Rian Marquardt tied the contest with 56 ticks remaining after White Bear Lake pulled its goalie.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Those who aren’t afflicted by the syndrome might think dark thoughts, but they are kept buttoned up.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Costco's popular rotisserie chicken is at the center of another lawsuit, this one claiming that a chicken processing plant in Nebraska is afflicted by salmonella contamination, possibly affecting hundreds of millions of the birds sold through the warehouses.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Russia has destroyed more than 600 churches, persecuted millions of Ukrainian Christians under occupation, and abducted more than 19,000 children in an effort to break Ukraine’s spirit.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The result is that, despite existing household pains owing to more expensive fuel, a resurgent kidnapping crisis that exposes deep security vulnerabilities, and external pressure from a US government that claims Christians are persecuted in Nigeria, Tinubu has expanded his base and looks strong.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The mother of Tilly Servin, a toddler who prosecutors believe was tortured to death in Long Beach last year, is suing Los Angeles County’s child protection agency for leaving her daughter in the custody of the child’s father, who was previously sentenced to four years in prison for child abuse.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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Some detainees are tortured to get information about other protesters or to get confessions, usually admitting to working with foreign governments, which are often televised, according to Aban, who has documented over 300 confessions carried in various state media outlets since the protests began.—
Babak Dehghanpisheh,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Racked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racked. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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