crack-up 1 of 2

noun

ˈkrak-ˌəp How to pronounce crack-up (audio)
Definition of crack-upnext
1
as in breakdown
a mental or nervous collapse a crack-up required him to take a year off from work

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2
as in collision
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact two people were injured in a serious crack-up on the interstate

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crack up

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to praise
to declare enthusiastic approval of that sports car isn't all it's cracked up to be

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2
as in to blow up
to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively the movie is being cracked up as the blockbuster of the summer

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3
as in to laugh
to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound try not to crack up at your own punch lines—it's funnier if you keep a straight face

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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-up
Noun
Despite the book’s title, Buchanan had some hope for the West (in his us-and-them sense of the term) and was confident in globalism’s impending crack-up. — Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 By the end of 1857, no one knew the crack-up of the Union was coming in three years, or that the nation would be in a civil war in four, but the portents were bleak. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
And leftovers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, especially after multiple days on repeat. — Sheela Prakash, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 July 2026 So here’s another communal chance to crack up at Steve O being launched into orbit inside a Port-a-Potty! — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for crack-up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack-up
  1. breakdown
  2. collision
  3. praise
  4. blow up
  5. laugh
  6. crash
  7. applaud
  8. advertise
Noun
  • Janet, meanwhile, is having the kind of emotional breakdown that necessitates producer intervention.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 July 2026
  • To help identify which aspects to comment on, Ginexi provides a helpful breakdown of the different sections of the OMB’s proposal.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of breakdown
Noun
  • Leaving the scene of a property-damage collision can result in misdemeanor charges, fines and other penalties.
    — James Ward, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Under California’s vehicle code, hit-and-run collisions that lead to property damage but no injuries are classified as misdemeanors.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of collision
Verb
  • Leaders from India’s ruling Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have publicly praised bhajan clubbing gatherings.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Magazine, praising Swift's ability to handle intense public scrutiny.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of praise
Verb
  • He’s been known to blow up legislation, make surprise nominations, rage-post about sitting Republican lawmakers and retaliate by endorsing their primary opponents.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • An Elk Grove man accused of threatening to blow up buildings in Sacramento over the Fourth of July holiday was set to appear in federal court Thursday to face a bomb threat charge.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of blow up
Verb
  • Swift shared a glimpse of the fun on Instagram by posting some Polaroids of them laughing, hugging and enjoying red, white and blue Popsicles.
    — Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • England would be a laughing stock (and already home) without him.
    — Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • The military declared McKinney dead in March 1946, though no crash site had been identified, let alone any remains of the man from Providence, Rhode Island.
    — Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
  • The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said it was not notified of the crash, according to local reports.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of crash
Verb
  • Most players who have toiled in the minor league system debut in front of applauding friends and family.
    — Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • All are aghast, save Ser Torrhen Manderly, who applauds the farce.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
Definition of applaud
Verb
  • An expired job ad for an experienced English interpreter at the UN advertised a salary range between $131,084 and $171,644.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • The report alleges that Freedom 250 was advertised as an addition to America250 rather than as its replacement, creating confusion.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 2 July 2026
Definition of advertise

Browse Nearby Words

cracks wise
crack-up
crack up
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Cite this Entry

“Crack-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack-up. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crack-up

Nglish: Translation of crack-up for Spanish Speakers

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