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Synonyms

cracking

American  
[krak-ing] / ˈkræk ɪŋ /

noun

  1. (in the distillation of petroleum or the like) the process of breaking down certain hydrocarbons into simpler ones of lower boiling points by means of excess heat, distillation under pressure, etc., in order to give a greater yield of low-boiling products than could be obtained by simple distillation.

adverb

  1. extremely; unusually.

    We saw a cracking good match at the stadium.

adjective

Informal.

  1. done with precision; smart.

    A cracking salute from the honor guard.

idioms

  1. get cracking. crack.

cracking British  
/ ˈkrækɪŋ /

adjective

  1. informal (prenominal) fast; vigorous (esp in the phrase a cracking pace )

  2. informal to start doing something quickly or do something with increased speed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. informal first-class; excellent

    a cracking good match
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the process in which molecules are cracked, esp the oil-refining process in which heavy oils are broken down into hydrocarbons of lower molecular weight by heat or catalysis See also catalytic cracker

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
cracking Scientific  
/ krăk′ĭng /

  1. The process of breaking down complex chemical compounds by heating them. Sometimes a catalyst is added to lower the amount of heat needed for the reaction. Cracking is used especially for breaking petroleum molecules into shorter molecules and to extract low-boiling fractions, such as gasoline, from petroleum.

  2. See also hydrocracking

Etymology

Origin of cracking

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; crack, -ing 1, -ing 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ahead of the policy change it appeared the airline was cracking down in advance.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s always either cracking a joke or laughing at one.

From Literature

Then it seized the boat, and the entire structure was flung up into the air, cracking and splintering as it landed again on the waves.

From Literature

Imagine a cracking good baker meets a squat Agatha Christie.

From Literature

He says, through cracking phone reception, connecting his sound and his vehicle is a relationship he’s been waiting to master.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.