1
2
as in chokes
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 deciphers
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 knocks
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 solves
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 crazes
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 fissures
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 blows
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 claps
a loud explosive sound
the tree fell with a sharp crack
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
5
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
a whispered crack made the whole back row start laughing
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in eccentrics
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of cracks
Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Every time Kreider cracks a joke, Yurov laughs hard.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
For example, Harvard barely cracks the top 30.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Video of Bo Nix‘s rookie season plays on an endless loop — until, at last, someone cracks the code.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
The younger woman cracks her neck side to side.
—Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
If the suspension knuckle cracks the suspension arm may detach.
—James Powel, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
What struck me as beautiful about the scene on the staircase when Peggy breaks down with her mother in the finale is that Peggy finally cracks under the weight of carrying this grief and walking such a tightrope.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
That’s not to say this story of a woman whose flawless façade barely cracks even as her insides crumble doesn’t fray your nerves.
—Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
More importantly, however, investors are expecting that the recent raft of weak economic data — which have shown growing cracks in the labor market — will mean the Fed will have to start cutting to support growth.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
But that proves more easily said than done when Ulysses starts to notice a few cracks in Normal’s genteel exterior.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 15 Sep. 2025
Shedeur-to-Travis papered quite a few cracks the last two seasons.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2025
But Phillies fans would be positively irate if their team let Schwarber slip through the cracks.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
If not, those cracks will have been deepened by neglect.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Apple is now using ceramic shield, instead of glass, for the back, which is four times more resistant to cracks and allows for a thinner profile, which, again, allows room for a bigger battery.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Apple will be there waiting, sitting on a mountain of cash, ready to partner with (or outright acquire) whichever operation cracks the code.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
Every time Kreider cracks a joke, Yurov laughs hard.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
For example, Harvard barely cracks the top 30.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Video of Bo Nix‘s rookie season plays on an endless loop — until, at last, someone cracks the code.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
The younger woman cracks her neck side to side.
—Weike Wang, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
If the suspension knuckle cracks the suspension arm may detach.
—James Powel, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
What struck me as beautiful about the scene on the staircase when Peggy breaks down with her mother in the finale is that Peggy finally cracks under the weight of carrying this grief and walking such a tightrope.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
That’s not to say this story of a woman whose flawless façade barely cracks even as her insides crumble doesn’t fray your nerves.
—Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
As the image of a college education providing the future to financial security has already started to show cracks, here is another — the top and bottom poverty rates by major.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
More importantly, however, investors are expecting that the recent raft of weak economic data — which have shown growing cracks in the labor market — will mean the Fed will have to start cutting to support growth.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
But that proves more easily said than done when Ulysses starts to notice a few cracks in Normal’s genteel exterior.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 15 Sep. 2025
Shedeur-to-Travis papered quite a few cracks the last two seasons.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2025
But Phillies fans would be positively irate if their team let Schwarber slip through the cracks.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
If not, those cracks will have been deepened by neglect.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Apple is now using ceramic shield, instead of glass, for the back, which is four times more resistant to cracks and allows for a thinner profile, which, again, allows room for a bigger battery.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracks
Verb
-
Macaroni and cheese is Drew Barrymore’s favorite meal and pops up frequently on her talk show.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Sep. 2025
-
What happens is something like the Charlotte Latino Film Festival pops up and people go look at all these festivals.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Hybrid-resilient architecture—local backups that can kick in like muscle memory when the cloud chokes.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
On the ground, there’s a war of grappling, chokes, and limb breaks, and Oliveira is one of the best to ever fight it.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
My body no longer deciphers its signals correctly.—
Alaa Alqaisi
August 13,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
His visit to her is the kind of single scene where an Oscar winner like Steenburgen knocks it out of the park.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The fun-loving entertainment hub doesn't yet have a US product page, but is up for pre-order on Amazon for US$799 (though there is a promo coupon available at time of writing that knocks a few dollars off that ticket price).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Nvidia's Pragmatic Expansion For Nvidia, this partnership solves a different problem entirely.—
Tim Bajarin,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Tune in for short episodes every Wednesday and Saturday as Grumpy answers reader questions, solves seasonal conundrums, and provides need-to-know advice for gardeners with his very Grumpy sense of humor.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Famous for their made-to-order burgers and secret menu hacks, California-based In-N-Out has been flipping patties since 1948, building a devoted fan base that predates social media crazes.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Wyatt exited and then returned to the project amid creative fissures, including wrangling over the movie’s tone, pacing, and length.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Trump is facing a catch-22 in the face of growing fissures at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and mounting departures of scientists and experts over vaccine policy.—
Elizabeth Crisp,
The Hill,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The blows come from front, back, and the demonstrator doesn’t seem to hold back even.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Frazier, though, was relentless, seeking a way inside Ali’s reach, driving blows into Ali’s ribs but moving too fast to get caught by the night-ender Ali had planned.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cracks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracks. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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