crack-up
/ˈkræk.ʌp/- 1.
A funny person or thing. People often use it informally for someone who makes others laugh. It can also mean a very amusing event or story.
- My uncle is a real crack-up.
- That joke was a crack-up.
- Her story was a complete crack-up.
- 2.
A breakdown of health or emotions. It often means someone cannot cope anymore, especially under stress.
- He had a nervous crack-up.
- The pressure led to a crack-up.
- She suffered a serious crack-up.
To laugh suddenly and uncontrollably. This is informal and often used in speech.
- I cracked up at his accent.
- She cracked up during the meeting.
- We all cracked up laughing.
Adinary Nuance
A crack-up is more informal than words like "comedian" or "funny person." It usually suggests someone is so amusing that others laugh a lot. For breakdowns, it is less formal than "collapse" or "mental breakdown," and sounds more spoken. It is not a good choice for careful academic writing.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- cười bò
- Spanish
- partirse de risa
- Chinese
- 笑翻
- Japanese
- 大ウケ
- Korean
- 엄청 웃기다
Etymology
Crack-up comes from the phrasal verb crack up, which became common in American English in the 20th century. It likely grew from the idea of something breaking or splitting under pressure.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is crack-up formal or informal?
- It is informal. Use it in speech, stories, or casual writing, not in formal reports.
- Does crack-up mean the same as funny?
- Not exactly. Funny describes something amusing, while crack-up often describes a person or story that makes people laugh a lot.
- Can crack-up mean a mental breakdown?
- Yes. In this sense, it means a person cannot cope emotionally, usually because of stress.
- What is the difference between crack up and laugh?
- Laugh is general. Crack up means to laugh suddenly and strongly, often for a long time.