cracking

20 synonyms and 1 antonym for cracking, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The industrial process of breaking down large molecules, such as crude oil, using heat, to produce fuels like gasoline.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

excellent brilliant crack old great

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

superb terrific smashing snap fracture keen neat dandy swell bully

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

first-rate nifty peachy corking groovy

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The industrial process of breaking down large molecules, such as crude oil, using heat, to produce fuels like gasoline.

“Catalytic cracking breaks heavy oil into lighter, more useful products at the plant.”

excellent brilliant superb terrific smashing first-rate crack snap fracture

2. adjective

British informal: excellent or great.

“We had a cracking weekend by the sea, despite the drizzle.”

nifty keen smashing neat peachy corking groovy dandy old swell bully great

Opposites

bad

How to use cracking

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

cracking performance oil cracking get cracking

Etymology

This word was inherited from Middle English crakynge.

Full origin of cracking →

Frequently asked questions

What does “cracking” mean?

The word “cracking” means the industrial process of breaking down large molecules, such as crude oil, using heat, to produce fuels like gasoline. In plain terms, the industrial fuel-refining process, or, in British slang, "excellent" or "very.".

How do you pronounce “cracking”?

“Cracking” is pronounced KRA-kihng (/ˈkɹækɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “cracking” in a sentence?

Here is “cracking” used in a sentence: “The refinery uses cracking to turn crude oil into usable fuel.”

What part of speech is “cracking”?

Depending on how it is used, “cracking” can be a noun, an adjective and an adverb.

Is “cracking” a common word?

“Cracking” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “cracking” have?

“Cracking” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the industrial process of breaking down large molecules, such as crude oil, using heat, to produce fuels like gasoline.

What is the difference between 'cracking' and 'smashing'?

Both are British informal words of praise meaning excellent or great, and they are largely interchangeable. Cracking can additionally intensify another adjective, as in 'a cracking good time.'

Is 'cracking' used to mean 'great' in American English?

The 'excellent' and 'very' senses of cracking are chiefly British and are far less common in American English. American speakers are more likely to use words like 'great' or 'terrific.'

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great old bad excellent brilliant crack snap keen superb neat bully terrific

Nearby words

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