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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Recent Examples of crack
PCMAG, 19 Mar. 2025
The Celtics still boast one of the NBA’s deepest and most talented rosters, with a nine-man core group (the five starters, plus Horford, Hauser, Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet) that will be tough to crack when everyone is healthy.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2025
Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
European leaders Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, have attempted to steer between papering over cracks opening up across the Atlantic and backing massive European efforts to stand up alone, without U.S. support.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack
Verb
Your task is to work through the Weak, Reused, and Common lists and update each password to something unique and hard to crack.
—PCMAG, 19 Mar. 2025
The Celtics still boast one of the NBA’s deepest and most talented rosters, with a nine-man core group (the five starters, plus Horford, Hauser, Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet) that will be tough to crack when everyone is healthy.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
And so victims are going to fall through the cracks.
—Charles Trepany, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025
European leaders Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, have attempted to steer between papering over cracks opening up across the Atlantic and backing massive European efforts to stand up alone, without U.S. support.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crack
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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After a village Electoral Board ruling knocked Tinley Together off the ballot, a Cook County Circuit Court judge, in early January, reversed that ruling.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
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The Reacher star recently revealed that he was knocked unconscious while filming a fight scene for the Season 3 finale of his Prime Video series, which is now available to stream on the platform.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Even Uzo Aduba, whose character Detective Cordelia Cupp solved the case, and Randall Park, whose FBI Special Agent Edwin Park assisted her, were surprised by the reveal.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
21 Mar. 2025
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Scientists refer to this as convergent evolution, in which different species independently evolve similar traits to solve the same problems.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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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
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Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.—
Jay Cost,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The process has exposed a major fissure between Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and other members and activists irate that the party isn’t doing more to try to stop Donald Trump.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
14 Mar. 2025
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Antisemitic conspiracy theories are flooding America's most popular pro-Trump podcasts, exposing deep political and moral fissures at the heart of the new MAGA coalition.—
Zachary Basu,
Axios,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The library now needs to build out the new Canadian entrance to code — a blow to a not-for-profit organization that has existed on a limited endowment since 1908.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2025
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New York City's drinking water could eventually absorb a blow if reservoirs supplying a portion of it become vacated due to rising salinity, according to a new report.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crack. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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