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Synonyms

racking

American  
[rak-ing] / ˈræk ɪŋ /

noun

Masonry.

  1. the stepping back of the ends of courses successively from bottom to top in an unfinished wall to facilitate resumption of work or bonding with an intersecting wall.

Etymology

Origin of racking

First recorded in 1890–95; rack 1 + -ing 1

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 posted a 2.06 ERA in his brief stint with the Mets in 2025, racking up 57 strikeouts over those 48 innings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

The post remained online, racking up more than two million views.

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

As awards season got underway, the film began racking up nominations and wins, including at the BAFTAs, the British equivalent of the Oscars, held last month at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

But keep in mind that this solution doesn’t work if the borrower is racking up additional credit-card debt while paying off the loan.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026

Opal broke down and cried, each breath coming out in racking sobs.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

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.