Showing results for "cracking"

• present participle of crack.

cracking

American  

[krak-ing] / ˈkræk ɪŋ /

noun

crackings plural

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.

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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

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adverb

1. informal first-class; excellent

   a cracking good match

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

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• crackings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cracking

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

Example Sentences

"Cracking is only one part of the problem," Powell-Palm said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

Cracking down on corruption is seen as a key requirement for Ukraine joining the EU.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

Cracking down on foreigners who aspire to study in the U.S. may not be the punishment some in Washington seem to think it is, as top-notch students have many good alternatives elsewhere.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

Cracking Vance for Yang involved watching the screen adaptation of his book, “Hillbilly Elegy.”

From Salon • Oct. 25, 2024

Cracking a joke about somebody’s girlfriend—real or imaginary—is just a great comeback.

From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds

Related Words

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• astounding
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• exceptional
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• fantastic
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• marvelous
• massive
• monumental
• prodigious
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