plural craters
1
a
: the bowl-shaped depression around the orifice of a volcano
b
: a depression formed by an impact (as of a meteorite)
c
: a hole in the ground made by the explosion of a bomb or shell
2
: an eroded lesion
3
: a dimple in a painted surface
4
Crater astronomy
: a constellation that is visible between the constellations of Corvus and Hydra and that is represented by the figure of a cup
Both the cup and the snake are here in the sky. If you have dark enough skies, you can spot the faint stars of Crater the cup and Hydra the snake to the right of Corvus.—
Kevin D. Conod
Kevin D. Conod
cra·ter
less common spelling of krater
: a jar or vase of classical antiquity having a large round body and a wide mouth and used for mixing wine and water
Synonyms
Examples of crater in a Sentence
Verb
The deal cratered when neither party could agree on the final price.
Stock prices cratered after the companies' merger.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
What could be more inspiring than an up-close look at the moon’s craters or Jupiter’s clouds?
—Abbey Stone, SELF, 31 Oct. 2024
Sebastian Mallaby, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2021
Amazon Rushing home to sign for a package can be a chore, and nothing craters a day like having a delivery stolen from your doorstep.
—Brian Barrett, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2017
See all Example Sentences for crater 
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.
Noun
The fatalities, including a child, were located within a 2.4-mile radius of the volcano's crater.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
What could be more inspiring than an up-close look at the moon’s craters or Jupiter’s clouds?
—Abbey Stone, SELF, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
The economy will plunge into recession, financial markets will crater, and the age of magic money will have been exposed as merely a fit of recklessness.
—Sebastian Mallaby, Foreign Affairs, 30 June 2021
Amazon Rushing home to sign for a package can be a chore, and nothing craters a day like having a delivery stolen from your doorstep.
—Brian Barrett, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2017
See all Example Sentences for crater
Articles Related to crater
Dictionary Entries Near crater
Cite this Entry
“Crater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crater. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
crater
noun
cra·ter
ˈkrāt-ər 
: an eroded lesion of a wall or surface
ulcer craters
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share