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
Police said the sound of a firearm being racked can be heard on the video just before a shot was heard in the dining area.
—
Skyler Shepard, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Sure enough, in a subsequent watch-through-your-fingers climbing scene, a harrowing mishap leaves him dead and Sasha racked with guilt.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
On audio, a pump-action shotgun can be heard being racked.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
How did the virulent nationalism and fraught politics of France’s interwar period—no less racked by crisis than its nuclear-era dénouement—inform the artist’s approach to figure and form?
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
During the Arab Spring revolts of the early 2010s, Cairo was routinely racked by blackouts, and Mansour teamed up with an architect friend to experiment with rooftop solar on houses.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Outside, Laredo-Arellano can be seen on security video attempting to get between the women and stop them from shoving one another, a few moments before Barocio’s friend, 34-year-old Angelo Delacruz, of Antioch, pulled out a gun and racked it.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
And many churches, schools and homeowners, burned by high utility bills or racked with climate concerns, have pursued residential solar projects.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 26 Mar. 2026
Italy's domestic baseball league has been racked by financial challenges in recent decades.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
Skyler Shepard, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Sure enough, in a subsequent watch-through-your-fingers climbing scene, a harrowing mishap leaves him dead and Sasha racked with guilt.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
On audio, a pump-action shotgun can be heard being racked.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
How did the virulent nationalism and fraught politics of France’s interwar period—no less racked by crisis than its nuclear-era dénouement—inform the artist’s approach to figure and form?
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
During the Arab Spring revolts of the early 2010s, Cairo was routinely racked by blackouts, and Mansour teamed up with an architect friend to experiment with rooftop solar on houses.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Outside, Laredo-Arellano can be seen on security video attempting to get between the women and stop them from shoving one another, a few moments before Barocio’s friend, 34-year-old Angelo Delacruz, of Antioch, pulled out a gun and racked it.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
And many churches, schools and homeowners, burned by high utility bills or racked with climate concerns, have pursued residential solar projects.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 26 Mar. 2026
Italy's domestic baseball league has been racked by financial challenges in recent decades.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racked
Verb
-
The Pistons also were plagued by turnovers (20 that led to 25 Cavaliers points) and fouling (Cleveland attempted 22 more free throws).—
Darnell Mayberry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
The new facility replaced the detention center at 1300 Cherry Street, which is more than four decades old and had fallen into partial disrepair and had long been plagued by unsafe overcrowding and allegations of abuse and mismanagement.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The dogs, including newborn puppies, were pulled to safety by the Brandywine Valley SPCA rescue team.—
Kerri Corrado,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
The war pulled the Bureau away from these efforts, but once peace returned, Kline and his scientists had gone back to work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Once diagnosed, pancreatic cancer has been a death sentence for those afflicted in the vast majority of cases.—
Chicago Tribune,
Twin Cities,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In 1602, she was afflicted by a slew of symptoms, such as convulsions, fits, and terrors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
-
Other human rights lawyers have been recently prosecuted in Russia, including Maria Bontsler, a prominent lawyer who defended individuals persecuted by politically motivated charges.—
Irwin Cotler,
Time,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Barahona and his wife, Carmen, beat and tortured the twins, tying them with electrical cord and shocking them in a bathtub with the door locked, investigators said.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
The expression on Moss-Bachrach’s face is tortured and tired, like just thinking about this awful day with Mikey took time off his life — and then, another awful thing.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Racked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racked. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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