CRACKING (UP) Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

cracking up

verb

present participle of crack up

as in applauding

to declare enthusiastic approval of that sports car isn't all it's cracked up to be

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in crying up

to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively the movie is being cracked up as the blockbuster of the summer

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as in laughing

to show mirth with an explosive vocal sound try not to crack up at your own punch lines—it's funnier if you keep a straight face

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of cracking up Mark Toothaker, a stallion sales manager for Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, was on the couch cracking up with his wife, Malory, about the whiffed field goal and consequential turnover. — Kelly O'Grady, CBS News, 3 May 2026 The dogs were confused, not sure whether to attack or run for cover, and Susan was cracking up. — Sid Evans, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026 The camera cut to O’Leary cracking up in the audience. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026 Winner This week's winner left us cracking up with his acting skills. — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025 Kathy — who has earned an enormous fan base thanks to her honesty and lack of pretense on the Bravo reality series — had the crowd at the Caesars Forum convention center cracking up from the moment the panel began. — Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 15 Nov. 2025 The woods may be overrun, this year, with cabins in the woods capable of cracking up couples by laying all their faults bare. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025 Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025 The surprisingly funny duo kept social media fans cracking up, but after about a year, their relationship quietly ended. — Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 29 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracking up

Verb

Before guests began eating dinner, Weijia Jiang, president of the White House Correspondents' Association delivered an impassioned speech condemning political violence and applauding attendants bravery after the shooting at the April event.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 24 July 2026
Paul appeared to take the joke in stride, laughing and applauding as cameras cut to him in the crowd.

— Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of applauding

Verb

But more than that, the mill blowing up just couldn’t be possible.

— Ethan Brooks, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
After flying for about an hour halfway around the world, the upper-stage portion of the Starship vehicle managed to land intact in the Indian Ocean – without blowing up.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Definition of blowing up

Verb

The 2016 Indy 500 winner conducted the maiden validation test, praising the car's exceptional build quality and predictable, rewarding handling.

— Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Since separating, the two have remained amicable co-parents, often praising one another in interviews.

— Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 31 July 2026

Definition of praising

Verb

The announcement of Laforteza’s temporary hiatus comes in the wake of member Manon Bannerman announcing her own temporary hiatus in February.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
The committee was formed in response to the YMCA of Greater Charlotte announcing a plan to sell the site to Moments of Hope Church, led by Pastor David Chadwick.

— Chase Jordan August 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of announcing

Verb

On a recent afternoon outside the temple in central Kerala, Raman stood motionless as two children played, giggling and hugging its trunk.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Donna and Swift were seen hugging and giggling in their suite at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium alongside the singer's A-list pals.

— Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026

Definition of giggling

Verb

Waymo has already successfully scaled massive commercial ride-hailing networks across cities like Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026
That positioning explains why GHA selected Plum Guide rather than a mass-market home-sharing platform and Blacklane rather than a larger ride-hailing service.

— Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of hailing

Verb

Owen’s a pizza maker whose girlfriend (Maya Hawke) wants to explore someone else; advertising jingle singer Allie has been ditched by her best friend (King Princess) for a prince.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
The new survey offers no way to suss if the movement began in recent weeks, after Elliott began advertising.

— Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of advertising

Browse Nearby Words

cracking (on)

cracking up

cracking wise

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“Cracking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracking%20up. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of cracking up

verb

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