crack

/kɹæk/

//kɹæk// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"crack" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crack” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,551 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,551
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To form cracks.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

crack vs crap
60% similar
crack vs cram
60% similar
crack vs cray
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for crack
PropertyValue
Headwordcrack
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kɹæk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#3,551
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “crack” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). crack lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for crack is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɹæk/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,551 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 25 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for crack, with forms such as "carck", "ccrack", and "cracck". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "crap", "cram", "cray", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English crakken, craken, from Old English cracian (“to resound, crack”), from Proto-West Germanic *krakōn, from Proto-Germanic *krakōną (“to crack, crackle, shriek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- (“to resound, cry hoarsely”). Cogn… The correct English form is crack, spelled C-R-A-C-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To form cracks.
  2. 2
    To break apart under force, stress, or pressure.
  3. 3
    To become debilitated by psychological pressure.
  4. 4
    To break down or yield, especially under interrogation or torture.
  5. 5
    To make a cracking sound.
  6. 6
    To change rapidly in register.
  7. 7
    To alternate between high and low register in the process of eventually lowering.
  8. 8
    To make a sharply humorous comment.
  9. 9
    To realize that one is transgender.
  10. 10
    To make a crack or cracks in.
  11. 11
    To break open or crush to small pieces by impact or stress.
  12. 12
    To strike forcefully.
  13. 13
    To open slightly.
  14. 14
    To cause to yield under interrogation or other pressure.
  15. 15
    To solve a difficult problem.
  16. 16
    To overcome a security system or component.
  17. 17
    To cause to make a sharp sound.
  18. 18
    To tell (a joke).
  19. 19
    To break down (a complex molecule), especially with the application of heat: to pyrolyse.
  20. 20
    To circumvent software restrictions such as regional coding or time limits.
  21. 21
    To open a canned beverage, or any packaged drink or food.
  22. 22
    To brag; to boast.
  23. 23
    To be ruined or impaired; to fail.
  24. 24
    To barely reach or attain (a measurement or extent).
  25. 25
    To have sex with, especially penetrative sex.

Etymology

From Middle English crakken, craken, from Old English cracian (“to resound, crack”), from Proto-West Germanic *krakōn, from Proto-Germanic *krakōną (“to crack, crackle, shriek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- (“to resound, cry hoarsely”). Cognate with Scots crak (“to crack”), West Frisian kreakje (“to crack”), Dutch kraken (“to crunch, creak, squeak”), Low German kraken (“to crack”), German krachen (“to crash, crack, creak”), Lithuanian gi̇̀rgžděti (“to creak, squeak”), Old Armenian կարկաչ (karkačʻ), Sanskrit गर्जति (gárjati, “to roar, hum”). Compare typologically English crevice (<< Latin crepō), Bulgarian пукнатина (puknatina) (akin to пу́кам (púkam)), Russian тре́щина (tréščina) (akin to треск (tresk)), щель (ščelʹ) (akin to щёлкать (ščólkatʹ)).

This word in other languages

agrietarse(Español)se fissurer(Français)einreißen(Deutsch)rachar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: carck,ccrack,cracck,crackk,crakc,crcak,crrack,rcack

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of crack - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

carck2ccrack1cracck1crackk1crakc2crcak2crrack1rcack2
Edit distance from "crack"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "crack"?
"crack" is spelled C-R-A-C-K. The IPA pronunciation is /kɹæk/.
What does "crack" mean?
As a verb, "crack" means: To form cracks.
What words are commonly confused with "crack"?
"crack" is commonly confused with "crap", "cram", "cray". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "crack"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crack" is /kɹæk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "crack"?
From Middle English crakken, craken, from Old English cracian (“to resound, crack”), from Proto-West Germanic *krakōn, from Proto-Germanic *krakōną (“to crack, crackle, shriek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- (“to resound, cry hoarse... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “crack”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-A-C-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kɹæk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “crap” - see the side-by-side comparison. crack vs crap
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list