# crack up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/crack-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To laugh.

## Examples

- That joke made me crack up.
- My friend told a story about her cat, and we all cracked up.
- The comedian's deadpan delivery was so unexpected that even the stern-faced critic in the front row began to crack up.

## Origin

The English expression shares a conceptual parallel with the Japanese verb *warau*, meaning to laugh or smile, which is formed as a suffix of *waru*, meaning to crack. The formation suggests a common linguistic metaphor wherein the physical act of laughing is likened to the breakage or splitting of the facial features.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.