as in excellent
of the very best kind
a writer renowned for her cracking tales of mystery and suspense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in extremely
to a great degree
tells a cracking good tale of a search for a lost city
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in popping
to break suddenly with an explosive sound
the tree branch unexpectedly cracked under our weight
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in choking
to yield to mental or emotional stress
after hours of tough questioning the suspect finally cracked and blurted out a confession
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in deciphering
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in knocking
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
cracked the bow of the ship with a champagne bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in solving
to find an answer for through reasoning
I've been mulling this riddle, but I just can't crack it
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in bothering
to cause to go insane or as if insane
cracked by years in solitary confinement, the prisoner could only maunder incoherently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cracking
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2026
Another uninspired performance coupled with a a heavy defeat may well spell the end for the Basque manager at the Emirates, so this fixture should have plenty of undertones and be a cracking game of football.
—
SI.com,
28 Oct. 2019
His fortunes finally turned back Wednesday, when van Garderen laid down a cracking time trial at the Tour of California.
—
sacbee,
16 May 2018
Sportico Staff,
Sportico.com,
2 July 2026
Policymakers should treat it as a reminder that the country’s foundations are still cracking — and if the drift continues, the next rupture will be something darker.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
1 July 2026
Like cracking a car window open for a too-hot child, for an extra hour of child-free shopping at Marshall's.
—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
Roberts beelined to him, cracking inside jokes to gently prod him out of his shell.
—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
Russian winger Matvei Kotkov was also an honorable mention for me and very close to cracking my top 100.
—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
When revenue rises while communication, culture and customer experience start cracking, growth has become extraction.
—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The competition has a grand prize of $10 million for cracking this problem in its entirety.
—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
26 June 2026
But what is—in your mind—what is the beginnings of cracking that shell?
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Adjective
The study published in the journal Construction and Building Materials also revealed that the triangular and wavy forms significantly enhanced the beam's ability to handle post-cracking stress.
—
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2026
Another uninspired performance coupled with a a heavy defeat may well spell the end for the Basque manager at the Emirates, so this fixture should have plenty of undertones and be a cracking game of football.
—
SI.com,
28 Oct. 2019
His fortunes finally turned back Wednesday, when van Garderen laid down a cracking time trial at the Tour of California.
—
sacbee,
16 May 2018
Verb
Steven Galanis, Co-Founder and CEO at Cameo, discusses creators, celebrities, cracking the code and the state of the creator economy with Scott Soshnick at Cannes Lions.
—
Sportico Staff,
Sportico.com,
2 July 2026
Policymakers should treat it as a reminder that the country’s foundations are still cracking — and if the drift continues, the next rupture will be something darker.
—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
1 July 2026
Like cracking a car window open for a too-hot child, for an extra hour of child-free shopping at Marshall's.
—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
Roberts beelined to him, cracking inside jokes to gently prod him out of his shell.
—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2026
Russian winger Matvei Kotkov was also an honorable mention for me and very close to cracking my top 100.
—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
27 June 2026
When revenue rises while communication, culture and customer experience start cracking, growth has become extraction.
—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The competition has a grand prize of $10 million for cracking this problem in its entirety.
—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
26 June 2026
But what is—in your mind—what is the beginnings of cracking that shell?
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracking
Adjective
-
And with such excellent transit, there can be much greater housing density.
-
His group stage has been consistently excellent without announcing itself — the kind of contribution that shows up in the table rather than the highlights.
Adverb
-
That restraint also challenges the idea that sauvignon blanc must be extremely aromatic to be recognizable.
-
Superconductors can carry electricity with zero resistance, but only at extremely low temperatures.
Verb
-
Additionally, the company is offering a non-alcoholic beverage aptly named the Firework Fizz, which launched June 25 and has strawberry popping boba for a festive effect.
-
Social media campaigns are popping up online, urging women to place their bets on sites like Kalshi and Polymarket.
Verb
-
This practice carries risks, such as choking and aspiration, or food entering the airway.
-
Eddie Jenkins had been arrested for domestic battery for allegedly choking Kiara Jenkins in 2009, prosecutors said.
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.
-
Already, papyrologists are deciphering new texts that indicate other possible authors in the Herculaneum collection, including one of the leaders of the Stoic philosophy school.
Verb
-
And take the Exit Readiness Quiz to understand exactly where the gaps are before any business buyer comes knocking.
-
Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.
Verb
-
So solving the trade talent gap means producing more journeymen.
-
Nature, however, has been solving this problem for millions of years.
Verb
-
Travis was snapped having a blast bothering Jason as the duo attended a match between Jupiter Links GC and The Bay Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 3.
-
For now, the Royals hope to figure out exactly what’s bothering him.
Cite this Entry
“Cracking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracking. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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