crack up

/ˈkɹæk ˈʌp/

//ˈkɹæk ˈʌp// verb

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

"crack-up" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crack up” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

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

Key facts for crack up
PropertyValue
Headwordcrack up
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkɹæk ˈʌp/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “crack up” sits in English frequency

crack up falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

crack up is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈkɹæk ˈʌp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 13 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for crack up in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Compare Japanese 笑う (warau, “laugh, smile”), suffixed from Japanese 割る (waru, “crack”). The correct English form is crack up, spelled C-R-A-C-K- -U-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    To laugh.
  2. 2
    To laugh.
  3. 3
    To laugh.
  4. 4
    To break.
  5. 5
    To break.
  6. 6
    To break.
  7. 7
    To break.
  8. 8
    To break.
  9. 9
    To break.
  10. 10
    To affect the image of something.
  11. 11
    To affect the image of something.
  12. 12
    To affect the image of something.
  13. 13
    To smoke crack cocaine.

Etymology

Compare Japanese 笑う (warau, “laugh, smile”), suffixed from Japanese 割る (waru, “crack”).

This word in other languages

éclater de rire(Français)kaputtlachen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "crack up"?
"crack up" is spelled C-R-A-C-K- -U-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹæk ˈʌp/.
What does "crack up" mean?
As a verb, "crack up" means: To laugh.
How do you pronounce "crack up"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crack up" is /ˈkɹæk ˈʌp/. 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 up"?
Compare Japanese 笑う (warau, “laugh, smile”), suffixed from Japanese 割る (waru, “crack”). 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 up”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-A-C-K- -U-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɹæk ˈʌp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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