crack 1 of 3

verb

ˈkrak How to pronounce crack (audio)
Definition of cracknext
1
as in to pop
to break suddenly with an explosive sound the tree branch unexpectedly cracked under our weight

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2
as in to choke
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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3
as in to decipher
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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4
as in to knock
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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5
as in to solve
to find an answer for through reasoning I've been mulling this riddle, but I just can't crack it

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6
as in to bother
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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crack

2 of 3

noun

1
as in fissure
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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2
as in blow
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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3
as in bang
a loud explosive sound the tree fell with a sharp crack

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4
as in attempt
an effort to do or accomplish something this is my first crack at painting

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5
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter a whispered crack made the whole back row start laughing

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6
as in nut
a person of odd or whimsical habits that conspiracy theorist has been labeled a crack by the ballistics experts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crack

3 of 3

adjective

as in skilled
having or showing exceptional knowledge, experience, or skill in a field of endeavor known as one of the college's crack tennis players

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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 crack
Verb
Herman Weisberg, a former NYPD detective turned high-profile private investigator, believes one phone call could still crack the case. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 Midea’s air-conditioning design illustrates the kind of engineering tailored to crack Europe’s fragmented and layered regulatory and market barriers. — Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 2 July 2026
Noun
Rux used to work as a mechanical engineer inspecting roads for cracks that result from use and weathering. — Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026 Maintain Leather Shoes And Handbags Moisture can cause leather to shrink, warp, crack, and mildew over time. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for crack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack
  1. pop
  2. choke
  3. decipher
  4. knock
  5. solve
  6. bother
  7. fissure
  8. blow
Verb
  • Gas stations across Russia are imposing limits on purchases, CNN’s analysis found, with fuel- tracking websites popping up to guide drivers to the best spots to fill up.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • The supermodel was one of the most surprising people to make the guest list, causing pandemonium amongst Swifties and pop culture nerds alike when she was photographed heading to the wedding in a gorgeous gold silk gown (what a gold rush).
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2026
Definition of pop
Verb
  • This practice carries risks, such as choking and aspiration, or food entering the airway.
    — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Historically, modest fires every seven to 20 years kept forests from being overgrown and choked with highly flammable dead wood and brush, Williams said.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 3 July 2026
Definition of choke
Verb
  • In 2023, the Vesuvius Challenge made its first award for deciphering the first letters, and the following year, the project awarded the grand prize of $700,000 for producing the first readable text.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
  • On Thursday, the University of Kentucky announced a new $1 million prize to anyone able to decipher a complete scroll, a feat the researchers once considered impossible, by June next year.
    — Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 26 June 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • Each part looks radically different today than when players first started knocking balls around hundreds of years ago.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
  • The bench tipped, and the man put out a hand to steady himself, knocking a Hopi headpiece off a ledge.
    — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
Definition of knock
Verb
  • Now back in King’s Landing, Corlys is distracted at best, meeting with Rhaenyra’s small council to address the crown’s nonexistent funds — the latest on a long list of problems that need solving for the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
    — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • Proponents argue recordings would solve a long-standing crisis that leaves many proceedings with no verbatim record.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of solve
Verb
  • Playing against such younger competition doesn’t bother Crawford.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • Install Fencing If all deterrents fail and snakes continue to bother you, consider installing a 2- to 3-foot fence around your property.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 6 July 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • The fissure was visible before the war.
    — Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
  • So, too, does the idea that a soccer coach could close fissures that even the well-meaning among career politicians have failed to seal.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 18 June 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • Vingegaard’s victory at the Giro d’Italia in May, allied with Wout Van Aert’s cathartic win at Paris-Roubaix, has delivered two key objectives but the surprise departure of head of racing Grischa Niermann to Lidl-Trek was a blow.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 July 2026
Definition of blow

Phrases Containing crack

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crabwise
crack
crackbrain
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Cite this Entry

“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crack

Nglish: Translation of crack for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crack

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