cracked

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: broken (as by a sharp blow) so that the surface is fissured
cracked china
b
: broken into coarse particles
cracked wheat
c
: marked by harshness, dissonance, or failure to sustain a tone
a cracked voice
2
informal + disparaging : marked by thought or action that lacks reason

cracked

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of crack entry 1

Examples of cracked in a Sentence

Adjective The vase is cracked but it can still hold water. the cracked leather of the old chair His hands were sore and cracked from working long hours in the cold. Her lips are dried and cracked.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Galls can begin semisoft but harden with a cracked surface over time, though plants won’t necessarily display symptoms the same season or year they were infected. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2023 In recent years, several stretches of the aqueduct system have been drained to allow replacement of cracked and bulging sections of century-old concrete. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2023 The urban landscape, with its cracked sidewalks, patchy transit, and the lurking possibility of violence, is a daily challenge. Robert Weisman, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Mar. 2023 Add to that some dry, cracked cuticles? Daley Quinn, Women's Health, 27 Feb. 2023 Most are from the west Texas world of my childhood: laconic, plain-faithed people whose lives happened in gashes sewn shut with habit, and who—in that flat, cracked land, among its bristling cacti and thorn trees—seemed like animate instances of the landscape. Christian Wiman, Harper’s Magazine , 14 Dec. 2022 In an instant, Reyes found herself on the aisle floor, staring up at caved-in ceiling panels and a cracked bathroom sign that was hanging. Ben Finley, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Dec. 2022 Video showed the cracked eggs still had a yolk inside rather than a developing chick. Salvador Hernandezstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2023 Finish the air fryer steak recipe with a sprinkle of fennel fronds and more cracked black pepper. Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cracked.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1503, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cracked was in 1503

Dictionary Entries Near cracked

Cite this Entry

“Cracked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cracked. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cracked

adjective
1
: broken into coarse pieces
cracked corn
2
: mentally disturbed : crazy

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