# cracked

/ˈkɹækt/ (US) · /kɹˈækt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cracked
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. damaged with lines

adjective · CEFR B1

having thin lines on the surface because of damage, but not completely broken into pieces.

For teachers: exhibiting narrow fissures or surface breaks without total structural failure.

- I need to get my phone screen fixed because it is badly cracked.
- The archaeologist carefully brushed the dirt away from the cracked surface of the ancient vase, hoping the structural damage was only superficial.

### 2. highly skilled

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

extremely good at something, especially playing video games.

For teachers: demonstrating exceptional skill or mechanical precision, particularly within the context of competitive gaming.

- That player is absolutely cracked; he hasn't missed a single shot all game.
- The community considers the new rookie cracked after he managed to outplay three professional veterans during the final round of the tournament.

Teaching tip: This is very common in Gen Z and gaming culture; it is a high compliment for skill, not a negative term.

### 3. crazy

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

acting in a strange or crazy way.

For teachers: mentally unstable or eccentric. Often used in the phrase 'cracked-up'.

- You must be cracked if you think you can jump over that wide river.
- The old man lived in a house full of clocks and had some rather cracked ideas about how time actually worked.

### 4. harsh sound

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary

sounding rough or broken, like a voice that is losing its strength.

For teachers: characterised by a harsh, dissonant, or broken quality, typically referring to a person's voice or a musical note.

- He tried to sing the high note, but his cracked voice made it sound terrible.
- The singer's cracked delivery added a layer of raw emotion to the performance, though it was technically imperfect.

## Examples

- That player is absolutely cracked at this game.
- After practicing for ten hours a day, he became so cracked that no one in the local tournament could beat him.
- The community considers the new recruit to be completely cracked, as his reaction times and mechanical precision far surpass those of veteran professional players.

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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.