1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in bang
a loud explosive sound
the tree fell with a sharp crack
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
5
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
a whispered crack made the whole back row start laughing
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in eccentric
a person of odd or whimsical habits
that conspiracy theorist has been labeled a crack by the ballistics experts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of crack
Michelle Aslam, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025
Not to mention super easy—just crack open a jar of peanut butter and put a dollop between two crackers—and cheap (approximately $4 for a 4-sleeve box of crackers and $2 for a jar of the spread).
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2025
Brad Lander, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2025
There, different color pigments revealed themselves in the cracks of the painting’s surface.
—Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for crack 
Verb
This way, both parts of the egg are cooked at their optimal temperatures without needing to crack the shell open.
—Michelle Aslam, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025
Not to mention super easy—just crack open a jar of peanut butter and put a dollop between two crackers—and cheap (approximately $4 for a 4-sleeve box of crackers and $2 for a jar of the spread).
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
About 2,000 people are falling through cracks, cycling from street to subway to hospital to jail, and back again — too often becoming a danger to themselves, or to others.
—Brad Lander, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2025
There, different color pigments revealed themselves in the cracks of the painting’s surface.
—Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for crack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack
Verb
-
You might be surprised at the amount of information that pops up.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Drake has had a continuous grip on the culture, bridging hip-hop and pop from early on in his career.—
Taylor Crumpton,
TIME,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Lenin, a 1988 faux Fabergé egg choking on its rhinestones.—
Jackson Arn,
The New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2025
-
Per the incident report, Levin’s family members were right upstairs while he was being beaten and choked in the basement.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Once upon a planet Scholars have deciphered some of the first words from a Herculaneum scroll burned and buried in AD 79 during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Furthermore, the pole-to-pole probe will collect measurements at multiple times of day over sunlit regions, helping researchers decipher whether water signatures on the illuminated surface change as the lunar surface temperature changes by hundreds of degrees over the course of a lunar day.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The blow knocked Cronin unconscious, according to the lawsuit.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
7 Feb. 2025
-
The following day, an undercover officer with the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force disguised as a delivery driver knocked on Bonifacio’s door to deliver the package.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The employees who move up the fastest are the ones who think critically, solve problems, and drive the business forward.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes,
11 Feb. 2025
-
The bodies have been recovered and identified and authorities on Sunday remained determined to solve the mystery of what caused a small plane to lose speed and altitude over Alaska moments before a horrific crash that killed all 10 people aboard.—
John Bacon,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The devil will persist in bothering Martin Luther until the bald-headed monk dispatches him by hurling a bottle of ink.—
Contributed Content,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Imagine if the press covered all of that without bothering to even question it.—
Jeremy Gruber,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The study provides unprecedented detail of the distribution of crevasses at different elevations of the ice sheet, and how the fissures and their distribution have been changing, Colgan said.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
3 Feb. 2025
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The fate of TikTok will determine the size of media and tech's deepening fissure.—
Hope King,
Axios,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
However, this is a huge win for City and a devastating blow for England’s top flight.—
Dan Sheldon,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
-
Kennedy’s confirmation was a green light for Trump’s assault on reproductive rights and a devastating blow to public health.—
Katherine Hartley,
New York Daily News,
14 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near crack
Cite this Entry
“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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