# crack

> English word · Verb · IPA /kɹæk/ · frequency rank #3,551

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

## Easily confused with
- **crap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crap)
- **cram** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-cram)
- **cray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-cray)
- **croc** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-croc)
- **cuck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-cuck)
- **crag** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crag)
- **crazy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crazy)
- **crash** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crash)
- **creek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-creek)
- **craft** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-craft)
- **Craig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-craig)
- **crane** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crane)
- **crawl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crawl)
- **crank** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crank)
- **crate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crate)
- **crave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crave)
- **crook** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crook)
- **craze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-craze)
- **cramp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-cramp)
- **crock** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crack-vs-crock)

## Common misspellings (8)
`carck`, `ccrack`, `cracck`, `crackk`, `crakc`, `crcak`, `crrack`, `rcack`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/crack