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 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

Related Words

• amazing
• astounding
• awesome
• colossal
• dreadful
• enormous
• excellent
• exceptional
• extraordinary
• fabulous
• fantastic
• formidable
• great
• immense
• incredible
• marvelous
• massive
• monumental
• prodigious
• terrible