crack 1 of 3

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
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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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crack

3 of 3

adjective

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
And somehow Dave always managed to crack a joke and lift the mood and remind me and himself that joy still exists in the hardest moments. Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2025 The list focuses on radio play from dance-centric stations and club DJs across the U.S., and the ranking can be very tough to crack, especially for musicians outside the genre. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
Freelance journalist Thomas van Linge posted footage to X, formerly Twitter, showing cracks in the ground following the quake. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025 On particularly cold nights, the ice contracts, opening cracks that fill with lake water, which also freezes. Martin Fackler, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack
Verb
  • On the afternoon of March 12, a press release from the Environmental Protection Agency announcing a reconsideration of President Joe Biden’s plan to cut power plant emissions popped into journalists’ emails.
    Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The show, which has popped up around Chicago and Evanston regularly since August, offers a safe space for performers and a reminder to audiences of the power of creativity.
    Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Some of the aspiring stars who blew away the judges in the auditions round choked and failed to give their best showings, which led to the end of the road for standouts like Landynn Kennedy, Sam Sparks and Mikaela Bautista.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The move comes on the heels of the police report Stern filed claiming that a March 11 encounter at the Beverly Hills Hotel started out consensually but ended with Tate choking her nearly unconscious.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • One such problem is a too-common vocal style that is expressed in guttural growls, making lyrics difficult to decipher — at least for me.
    Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Mathematicians are deciphered, disfigured, discounted, and dissolved.
    Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • And of course, let your nails properly cure under the UV light—try not to move around too much or knock things over.
    Martine Thompson, Essence, 8 Apr. 2025
  • You could be struck by falling debris or knocked to the ground.
    Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Additionally, the blockchain tracking system the FBI developed for this case can be used to solve future scams.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
  • It had been stated before, that Starfleet ships in the 23rd century didn’t have holodecks, but suddenly here is one — that grid pattern is unmistakable — and the crew seems to be using it to solve a whodunnit, Christie-style.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Chicago Bears - Will Campbell, OL, LSU Will Campbell has fallen a bit due to his shorter arm length, but that likely won't bother Ben Johnson.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.
    Jay Cost, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The company’s drillers then inject water into the well, prying open the stone fissures and creating an artificial reservoir.
    Alexander C. Kaufman, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025
  • President Trump’s endorsement of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) for Florida governor is revealing fissures among the state’s Republicans in a state that has become the center of the GOP universe.
    Julia Manchester, The Hill, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Image Other economists also said the blow to the labor market, which had cooled before Mr. Trump embarked on his global trade war, could be severe.
    Tony Romm, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • His ruling, stopping the TPS revocation while the lawsuit plays out in his court, was a blow to the Trump administration.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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