Definition of crackednext
informal + disparaging

cracked

2 of 2

verb

past tense of crack
1
as in popped
to break suddenly with an explosive sound the tree branch unexpectedly cracked under our weight

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in choked
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 deciphered
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
5
6

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 cracked
Adjective
Late Saturday, the crews entered the facility to make a visual examination of the cracked container, which officials believed was holding 7,000 liquid gallons of methyl methacrylate, a chemical that is routinely used to make plastic. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026 As Jacobs described Lacan’s theory that babies initially form a cohesive I upon seeing their reflection, images of babies looking into cracked mirrors appeared on the screen. Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
Verb
The Texas factory’s signature device often cracked the steel meant for the shells. ProPublica, 26 Aug. 2026 Azurá Stevens, the franchise’s marquee signing worth just over $1 million a year, barely cracked a 10-point average while missing nearly a quarter of the season due to injuries and personal concerns. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cracked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked
Adjective
  • But throughout that, and much more important than the rivalry and being mad at each other or whatever, is just this absolute unending love.
    Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • What mad honey does to the human body When a human eats more than about a teaspoon of this honey, the toxin interferes with how the heart muscle generates its electrical signals.
    Prayan Pokharel, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Lobbying blitz on Capitol Hill A dizzying array of new lobbying groups have also popped up on both sides.
    Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The offensive player who popped The Chiefs made a big splash atop their running-back depth chart in the offseason.
    Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The blockade choked one of the world’s most important shipping lanes and Iran dictated where the war’s frontline would be, rattling the global economy.
    Justin Fishel, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Both victims were illegally choked to death by white police officers.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Uncertainty notwithstanding, the longevity world has glommed onto the notion that the vaginal microbiome is some kind of exotic tealeaf that can be deciphered—and perfected by purchasing the right supplements.
    Sarah DiGregorio, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • Its successor script, Linea B, was also a mystery until it was deciphered in 1952 by an amateur linguist and cryptographer Michael Ventris with the help of classicist John Chadwick, both building on patterns in the script first identified by classicist Alice Kober.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • But their rookie linebacker extended his arms, threw out a hand and knocked the ball free from London’s grasp.
    Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • When the group decided to move the party to a house nearby, Pysher walked there alone and mistakenly knocked on the wrong door.
    Tom Hanson, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Longer life is the achievement of our era, not a problem to be solved.
    Jon Sabes, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • While some of the Killing Fields cases outside of League City have been solved, many have not.
    Holly Yan, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • As a parent who has purchased my share of scary Halloween costumes, I was particularly disturbed by the controversy now engulfing Target.
    Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026
  • If disturbed, asbestos’ microscopic crystalline fibers get into the air, where they can be inhaled, cause lung scarring and lead to fatal cancers.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • But a poor reaction to her recovery medication kicked off a psychotic episode.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Psychiatric disorders are generally divided into mood disorders and psychotic disorders, Osborne said; postpartum psychosis is a mood disorder, in which mood symptoms accompany psychotic symptoms.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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