crack

verb \ ˈkrak \

Updated on: 30 Nov 2017

Definition of crack

intransitive verb

1 : to make a very sharp explosive sound

The whip cracks through the air.

2 : to break, split, or snap apart

The statue cracked when she dropped it.

3 : fail: such as

a : to lose control or effectiveness under pressure —often used with up

The stress was so great that she started to crack up.

b : to fail in tone

His voice cracked.

4 : to go or travel at good speed —usually used with on

The steamboat cracked on.

transitive verb

1 a : to break so that fissures appear on the surface

crack a mirror

b : to break with a sudden sharp sound

crack nuts

2 : to tell especially suddenly or strikingly

crack a joke

3 : to strike with a sharp noise : rap

then cracks him over the head

cracked a two-run homer in the eighth

4 a (1) : to open (something, such as a bottle) for drinking

(2) : to open (a book) for studying

b : to puzzle out and expose, solve, or reveal the mystery of

crack a code

c : to break into

crack a safe

d : to open slightly

crack the throttle

e : to break through (something, such as a barrier) so as to gain acceptance or recognition

… on track to crack Hollywood after landing a big screen role.
—Ed Gleave and Peter Dyke

f : to show or begin showing (a smile) especially reluctantly or uncharacteristically

5 a : to impair seriously or irreparably : wreck

crack an opponent's courage

b : to destroy the tone of (a voice)

c : disorder, craze

Worry had cracked his otherwise cheerful disposition.

d : to interrupt sharply or abruptly

The criticism cracked our complacency.

6 : to cause to make a sharp noise

cracks his knuckles

7 a (1) : to subject (hydrocarbons) to cracking

(2) : to produce by cracking

cracked gasoline

b : to break up (chemical compounds) into simpler compounds by means of heat

— crack the whip

: to adopt or apply an authoritative, tyrannical, or threatening approach or policy (as in demanding harder work from employees)

The team needs a coach who isn't afraid to crack the whip.

— crack wise

: to make a wisecrack

The comedian often cracked wise about prominent politicians.

See crack defined for English-language learners

See crack defined for kids

Examples of crack in a Sentence

The hailstones were big enough to crack some windows.
He cracked his collarbone in a skiing accident.
The mirror cracked when she dropped it.
Workers cracked the large rock into three pieces so it could be moved.
The bird cracked the seed on a tree branch.
a tool used for cracking nuts
He cracked open the eggs.
Someone cracked him over the head with a beer bottle.
The baby cracked her chin pretty hard when she fell.
He fell and cracked his elbow on the ice.

Recent Examples of crack from the Web

The dish is impossibly creamy thanks to the fat rendered from tender cubes of guanciale, cracked black pepper helping to cut through the richness.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Review: Volare revamped its dishes but it's still a Louisville classic," 25 Oct. 2017
The comedian, who died unexpectedly in September 2014, cracked wise about even the most respected actors—no one was safe from her wit.

— hilary weaver, vanityfair.com, "Read the Letter Joan Rivers Wrote to Kathy Bates After Joking About Her Weight," 23 Oct. 2017
With the confirmation that Jay Cutler has cracked ribs, Matt Moore will be the Dolphins starting quarterback at least for Thursday and perhaps also for the team’s next game on Nov. 5.

— profootballdoc, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Cutler could miss just one game, even if Dolphins thinking Moore," 23 Oct. 2017
Marshall sorts the case out without cracking a book or breaking a sweat.

— jake coyle, kansascity, "‘Marshall’ strands a towering figure in a standard courtroom drama," 12 Oct. 2017
The Hill hosts an event on cracking the tax code on Wednesday.

— tory newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Markets aren’t sweating tax rewrite stumbles — yet," 10 Oct. 2017
Defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, the Capitals' 2015 second-round pick, is the closest to cracking the NHL roster.

— isabelle khurshudyan, chicagotribune.com, "As No. 1 pick Nico Hischier debuts, Switzerland's NHL influence continues to climb," 18 Sep. 2017
The relentless pressure of water can loosen the foundation of asphalt roads — compacted soil, gravel or sand — leading to cracking and potholes.

— sharon cohen, The Seattle Times, "Harvey began with raging winds, but its legacy will be water," 4 Sep. 2017
Experiments like the Alcator C-Mod and JET inch us closer and closer to cracking the code, using the right fuel, and producing the conditions to spark a full-scale, energy-positive fusion reaction.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "MIT Achieves Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion," 28 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crack.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of crack

Middle English crakken, from Old English cracian; akin to Old High German chrahhōn to resound

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

crack Synonyms

Synonyms

pop, snap

Antonyms

cipher, code, encipher, encode, encrypt

Related Words

rend, rive, split; crackle, hiss, sizzle, sputter; burst, explode, shatter; clack, clatter, click

Near Antonyms

garble, jumble (up), mix (up)

crack

noun

Definition of crack

1 a : a loud roll or peal

a crack of thunder

b : a sudden sharp noise

the crack of rifle fire

2 : a sharp witty remark : quip

3 a : a narrow break : fissure

a crack in the ice

b : a narrow opening

Leave the door open a crack.

cracks between floorboards

—used figuratively in phrases like fall through the cracks to describe one that has been improperly or inadvertently ignored or left out

a player who fell through the cracks in the college draft

Children slipping through the cracks of available youth services.

4 a : a weakness or flaw caused by decay, age, or deficiency : unsoundness

b : a broken tone of the voice

c : crackpot

5 : moment, instant

the crack of dawn

6 : housebreaking, burglary

7 : a sharp resounding blow

gave him a crack on the head

8 : an attempt or opportunity to do something

her first crack at writing a novel

got first crack at the job opening

9 or crack cocaine : a potent form of cocaine that is obtained by treating the hydrochloride of cocaine with sodium bicarbonate to create small chips used illicitly for smoking

See crack defined for English-language learners

Examples of crack in a Sentence

The crack runs all the way from the top of the wall to the bottom.
an old patio with grass growing up through the cracks
The vase has a few fine cracks, but it is still usable.
I could see them through the crack in the doorway.
Light came through the cracks in the walls of the barn.

Recent Examples of crack from the Web

Every week brings such an overwhelming onslaught of news, that sometimes the most entertaining bits can fall through the cracks.

— gabriella paiella and jessica roy, The Cut, "This Week in Drama: Donald Trump’s Deactivated Twitter, Papa John’s Keeps Getting Owned, and More," 3 Nov. 2017
If Denuvo can no longer provide even a single full day of protection from cracks, though, that protection is going to look a lot less valuable to publishers.

— kyle orland, Ars Technica, "Denuvo’s DRM now being cracked within hours of release," 19 Oct. 2017
There's no escaping the Kardashian family spotlight, but cousin Natalie Zettel fell through the cracks.

— isis briones, Allure, "Kardashian Cousin (and Kendall Lookalike) Natalie Zettel Is Launching a Modeling Career," 10 Oct. 2017
The situation further frustrates one of the many challenges already facing a government that has sought a form of bankruptcy protection after its debts swelled past $70 billion: boosting revenue by collecting money that slips through the cracks.

— jonathan levin, Bloomberg.com, "Cash Is in Short Supply in Storm-Ravaged Puerto Rico," 25 Sep. 2017
Commissioners voted unanimously to take another crack at the issue during their Oct. 9 meeting.

— luke money, Daily Pilot, "Costa Mesa planners delay action on proposed new rules for ‘granny flats’," 12 Sep. 2017
Through a crack in a suitcase pushed into the ocean, long black strands of human hair swirl in a delicate dance of horror.

— lisa schwarzbaum, Newsweek, "'Top of the Lake: China Girl' is Great TV Gone Very Bad," 7 Sep. 2017
This time, the Cavaliers could get a couple of cracks at St. Frances, during the regular season Oct. 20 at Spalding and in the four-team conference playoff, which returns for the first time since 2012.

— katherine dunn, baltimoresun.com, "High school football preseason Top 5: a look at No. 2 Archbishop Spalding," 31 Aug. 2017
Over time, water seeped down through the cracks, causing the stone to erode into corridors and large rooms.

— jennifer billock, Smithsonian, "Descend into the World’s Iciest Gateway to Hell," 30 Aug. 2017

Origin and Etymology of crack

see ¹crack

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

crack Synonyms

Synonyms

check, chink, cleft, cranny, crevice, fissure, rift, split

Related Words

crevasse; craze, hairline; fracture, rupture; breach, gap, opening; cut, gash, incision, slit

Near Antonyms

conformer, conformist, follower, sheep

crack

adjective

Definition of crack

: of superior excellence or ability

a crack marksman

See crack defined for English-language learners

Examples of crack in a Sentence

The company has a crack sales force.
known as one of the college's crack tennis players

Recent Examples of crack from the Web

Follow along with The Post's crack whip count on where Senate Republicans stand on the revised health-care plan.

— paige winfield cunningham, Washington Post, "The Health 202: Trump administration tells moderates to trust it on health care," 14 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of crack

see ¹crack

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1793

See Words from the same year

crack Synonyms

CRACK Defined for English Language Learners

crack

verb

Definition of crack for English Language Learners

: to break (something) so that there are lines in its surface but it is usually not separated into pieces
: to hit or press (something) so hard that it breaks apart or opens suddenly
: to hit (someone or something) hard and usually suddenly

crack

noun

Definition of crack for English Language Learners

: a thin line in the surface of something that is broken but not separated into pieces
: a very narrow space or opening between two things or two parts of something
: a sudden loud, sharp sound

crack

adjective

Definition of crack for English Language Learners

: very good : of excellent quality or ability

CRACK Defined for Kids

crack

verb \ ˈkrak \

Definition of crack for Students

cracked; cracking

1 : to break or cause to break with a sudden sharp sound

crack an egg

2 : to break often without completely separating into parts

The ice cracked in several places.

3 : to make or cause to make a sound as if breaking

crack a whip

4 : to open a small amount

crack a window

5 : to tell (a joke) especially in a clever way

6 : to lose self-control

He cracked under the strain.

7 : to change in tone quality

My voice cracked from emotion.

8 : to strike or receive a sharp blow

… I bounced sideways and cracked my head on the half-open window …
—Jack Gantos, Joey Pigza Loses Control

9 : solve

I cracked the code.

— crack up

1 : to have a reputation as a result of praise

The show wasn't as good as it was cracked up to be.

2 : to damage or destroy (a vehicle) by crashing

3 : to laugh or cause to laugh

Her costume cracked me up.

crack

noun

Definition of crack for Students

1 : a narrow break or opening

a crack in the glass

2 : a sudden sharp noise

a crack of thunder

3 : a sharp clever remark

4 : a broken tone of the voice

5 : the beginning moment

I awoke at the crack of dawn.

6 : a sharp blow

7 : ²attempt

It was my first crack at writing.

crack

adjective

Definition of crack for Students

: of high quality or ability

crack troops

Medical Dictionary

crack

noun, often attributive \ ˈkrak \

medical Definition of crack

: a potent form of cocaine that is obtained by treating the hydrochloride of cocaine with sodium bicarbonate to create small chips used illicitly usually for smoking