- present participle of crack.
cracking
Americannoun
adverb
adjective
idioms
adjective
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informal (prenominal) fast; vigorous (esp in the phrase a cracking pace )
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informal to start doing something quickly or do something with increased speed
adverb
noun
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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.
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See also hydrocracking
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of cracking
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; see crack, -ing 1, -ing 2
Vocabulary lists containing cracking
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.
"Cracking is only one part of the problem," Powell-Palm said.
From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026
Cracking the top 10 was “a shock” for the singer, as if she had been “thrown in cold water.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026
"Cracking down on pirates directly is just one part of the solution," Mr Woods said.
From BBC • Sep. 4, 2025
Cracking the top 25 in career scoring — Curry has 25,205 points — is a feat Curry cherished because he eclipsed West.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2025
Cracking joints do not explain specific accurate answers like those given to James Fenimore Cooper.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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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.