cracked
Americanadjective
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broken.
a container full of cracked ice.
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broken without separation of parts; fissured.
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damaged; injured.
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Informal. eccentric; mad; daffy.
a charming person, but a bit cracked.
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broken in tone, as the voice.
idioms
adjective
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damaged by cracking
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informal crazy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cracked
First recorded in 1400–50, cracked is from the late Middle English word crachyd. See crack, -ed 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.
He persisted with his ministry even as the government cracked down on Christians who worshiped outside of China’s tightly controlled system of official churches.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026
Dick Kay, Deloitte China's capital market services group leader, said that officials had cracked down on brokers to steer investors towards trading through compliant channels, which are more "manageable".
From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026
Even Murray's usually impassive coach Ivan Lendl had cracked and had tears in his eyes along with the rest of Centre Court and the country at the magnitude of the achievement.
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
Also read: Researchers cracked the code on predicting market bubbles.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 25, 2026
They were chapped, so dry they were cracked and bleeding.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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.
