adjective
Uncommon
crackers
Crackers (adjective) means British informal: crazy or insane. Example: “You'd be crackers to turn down that job offer.”
adjective
1
British informal: crazy or insane.
"He acknowledges that it must seem "a crackers thing to say", but given the substantial progress which has been made in other areas of the business, his optimism isn't without foundation."
— Graeme Pickering, Managing Metro's morphosis (2021)
"You'd be crackers to turn down that job offer."
"“I will call up Demons to destroy thee!” “You're crackers,” said Carrot, backing away."
— Richard Carpenter, Catweazle (1970)
"Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, told the online magazine UnHerd in May that Truss was “as close to properly crackers as anybody I have met in parliament” and would be an “even worse” prime minister than Johnson."
— Dominic Cummings, ‘Ambition greater than ability’: Liz Truss’s rise from teen Lib Dem to would-be PM (2022)
How to use crackers
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCrazy or out of one's mind, used mainly in British English.
When to use it
Informal.
UK vs US
This slang sense is mostly British; American English would more likely use "crazy" or "nuts."
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more crackers
- Superlative
- most crackers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
You'd be _____ to turn down that job offer.
Etymology
Originally British naval slang linking "firecrackers" to something going off in someone's head — "he's gone crackers" meaning he's lost his mind.
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “crackers” mean?
The word “crackers” means british informal: crazy or insane. In plain terms, crazy or out of one's mind, used mainly in British English.
How do you use “crackers” in a sentence?
Here is “crackers” used in a sentence: “You'd be crackers to turn down that job offer.”
What part of speech is “crackers”?
“Crackers” is an adjective.
Is “crackers” a common word?
“Crackers” is an uncommon word in modern English.
