Crack vs. Crash — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 30, 2024
Crack involves a sharp snapping sound or break, often under pressure, while a crash is a loud, violent collision, typically causing destruction or damage.
Difference Between Crack and Crash
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Crack often refers to the sound or act of breaking something partially or completely, with an emphasis on the sharpness and suddenness of the break. Whereas a crash involves a forceful collision between objects, often resulting in extensive damage or destruction.
Cracking can occur under strain or pressure, suggesting a breaking apart or fissure formation, especially in materials like glass or wood. On the other hand, crashing is usually associated with vehicles or objects hitting each other or something else, leading to a loud, destructive impact.
A crack might not always lead to complete failure of the structure, implying a possibility of repair or prevention of further damage. Conversely, a crash typically suggests a scenario where recovery or repair is more challenging, often requiring replacement or reconstruction.
In digital contexts, 'crack' can mean to break into a system, highlighting unauthorized access or bypassing security. Whereas 'crash' in the same context refers to a system failure, where programs or the entire system stops functioning unexpectedly.
While a crack can develop over time, indicating a gradual process of deterioration, a crash is sudden, emphasizing the immediacy and unexpectedness of the event.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A sharp snapping sound or act of breaking, often due to pressure.
A loud, violent collision, typically causing destruction or damage.
Cause
Pressure, strain, or deliberate action.
Impact, collision, or system failure.
Outcome
Partial or complete break, potential for repair.
Extensive damage or destruction, often requires reconstruction.
Contexts
Materials breaking, unauthorized access (in digital terms).
Vehicle collisions, system failures (in digital terms).
Temporality
Can be gradual or sudden.
Usually sudden and unexpected.
Compare with Definitions
Crack
A narrow opening formed by splitting.
Light streamed through the crack in the door.
Crash
A loud sound produced by a collision.
The crash of the two trucks could be heard miles away.
Crack
A sharp sound made when something breaks.
The crack of the branch was heard across the quiet forest.
Crash
To collide violently with another object.
The car crashed into the tree during the storm.
Crack
To break something partially or completely.
He accidentally cracked the vase when he bumped into the table.
Crash
To fall or come down forcefully.
The vase crashed to the floor and shattered.
Crack
Breaking into a computer system unauthorizedly.
The hacker claimed he could crack the most secure networks.
Crash
A sudden failure of a computer system.
My computer crashed right before I saved my document.
Crack
To solve or decipher something challenging.
She managed to crack the code on the ancient lock.
Crash
To decline suddenly and dramatically.
The stock market crashed, wiping out millions in value.
Crack
To break without complete separation of parts
The mirror cracked.
Crash
To break violently or noisily; smash
The dishes crashed to pieces on the floor.
Crack
To break or snap apart
The branch cracked off and fell.
Crash
To undergo sudden damage or destruction on impact
The car crashed into a tree.
Crack
To make a sharp snapping sound
His knees cracked as he sat down.
Crash
To make a sudden loud noise
The cymbals crash at the end of each measure.
Crack
To break down; fail
The defendant's composure finally began to crack.
Crash
To move noisily or so as to cause damage
Went crashing through the woods.
Crack
To have a mental or physical breakdown
Cracked under the pressure.
Crash
To undergo a sudden severe downturn, as a market or economy.
Crack
To change sharply in pitch or timbre, as from hoarseness or emotion. Used of the voice.
Crash
(Computers) To stop functioning due to a crash.
Crack
To move or go rapidly
Was cracking along at 70 miles an hour.
Crash
(Slang) To undergo a period of unpleasant feeling or depression as an aftereffect of drug-taking.
Crack
(Chemistry) To break into simpler molecules, often by means of heat or a catalyst.
Crash
To find temporary lodging or shelter, as for the night.
Crack
To cause to break without complete separation of parts
The pebble cracked the car's windshield.
Crash
To fall asleep from exhaustion.
Crack
To cause to break with a sharp snapping sound
Crack nuts.
Crash
To cause to crash
Crashed the truck into the signpost.
Crack
To crush (corn or wheat, for example) into small pieces.
Crash
To dash to pieces; smash
Crashed the ice with a sledgehammer.
Crack
To strike, especially with a sharp sound
Cracked the intruder over the head with a lamp.
Crash
(Informal) To join or enter (a party, for example) without invitation.
Crack
To cause to come into forceful contact with something, especially with a sharp sound
Fell and cracked his head against the floor.
Crash
A sudden loud noise, as of an object breaking
She looked up when she heard the crash outside.
Crack
To open to a slight extent
Crack a window to let in some air.
Crash
A smashing to pieces.
Crack
To break open or into
Crack a safe.
Crash
A collision, as between two automobiles.
Crack
To open up for use or consumption
Crack a book.
Cracked a beer.
Crash
A sudden severe downturn
A market crash.
A population crash.
Crack
To break through (an obstacle) in order to win acceptance or acknowledgment
Finally cracked the "men-only" rule at the club.
Crash
A sudden failure of a hard drive caused by damaging contact between the head and the storage surface, often resulting in the loss of data on the drive.
Crack
To discover the solution to, especially after considerable effort
Crack a code.
Crash
A sudden failure of a program or operating system, usually without serious consequences.
Crack
To cause (the voice) to crack.
Crash
(Slang) Mental depression after drug-taking.
Crack
(Informal) To tell (a joke), especially on impulse or in an effective manner.
Crash
A coarse, light, unevenly woven fabric of cotton or linen, used for towels and curtains.
Crack
To cause to have a mental or physical breakdown.
Crash
Starched reinforced fabric used to strengthen a book binding or the spine of a bound book.
Crack
To impair or destroy
Their rude remarks cracked his equanimity.
Crash
Of or characterized by an intensive effort to produce or accomplish
A crash course on income-tax preparation.
A crash diet.
Crack
To reduce (petroleum) to simpler compounds by cracking.
Crash
A sudden, intense, loud sound, as made for example by cymbals.
The piece ended in a crescendo, building up to a crash of cymbals.
After the lightning came the crash of thunder.
Crack
A partial split or break; a fissure
Cracks in the basement wall.
Crash
An automobile, airplane, or other vehicle accident.
She broke two bones in her body in a car crash.
Nobody survived the plane crash.
Crack
A slight narrow space
The window was open a crack.
Crash
(computing) A malfunction of computer software or hardware which causes it to shut down or become partially or totally inoperable.
My computer had a crash so I had to reboot it.
Crack
(Informal) The fissure between the buttocks.
Crash
(finance) A sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures).
The stock market crash
Crack
A defect or flaw
Cracks in the argument.
A crack in his composure.
Crash
(informal) A comedown from a drug.
Crack
A sharp snapping sound, such as the report of a firearm.
Crash
(collective) A group of rhinoceroses.
Crack
A sharp resounding blow
Gave him a crack on the head.
Crash
(ecology) A sudden decline in any living form's population levels, often leading to extinction.
Crack
A breaking, harshly dissonant vocal tone or sound, as in hoarseness.
Crash
(textiles) A type of rough linen.
Crack
An attempt or try
Gave him a crack at the job.
Took a crack at photography.
Crash
Quick, fast, intensive, impromptu.
Crash course
Crash diet
Crack
A witty or sarcastic remark.
Crash
(intransitive) To collide with something destructively, fall or come down violently.
When the car crashed into a house, the driver was heavily injured.
Crack
A moment; an instant
At the crack of dawn.
Crash
(transitive) To severely damage or destroy something by causing it to collide with something else.
I'm sorry for crashing the bike into a wall. I'll pay for repairs.
Crack
(Irish) Fun had when socializing; social amusement.
Crash
To accelerate a project or a task or its schedule by devoting more resources to it.
Crack
(Slang) Crack cocaine.
Crash
To make or experience informal temporary living arrangements, especially overnight.
Hey dude, can I crash at your pad?
Crack
Excelling in skill or achievement; first-rate
A crack shot.
A crack tennis player.
Crash
To give, as a favor.
Crack
(intransitive) To form cracks.
It's been so dry, the ground is starting to crack.
Crash
To lie down for a long rest, sleep or nap, as from tiredness or exhaustion.
Crack
(intransitive) To break apart under force, stress, or pressure.
When I tried to stand on the chair, it cracked.
Crash
To terminate extraordinarily.
If the system crashes again, we'll have it fixed in the computer shop.
Crack
(intransitive) To become debilitated by psychological pressure.
Anyone would crack after being hounded like that.
Crash
To cause to terminate extraordinarily.
Double-clicking this icon crashes the desktop.
Crack
(intransitive) To break down or yield, especially under interrogation or torture.
When we showed him the pictures of the murder scene, he cracked.
Crash
(intransitive) To experience a period of depression and/or lethargy after a period of euphoria, as after the euphoric effect of a psychotropic drug has dissipated.
Crack
(intransitive) To make a cracking sound.
The bat cracked with authority and the ball went for six.
Crash
(transitive) To hit or strike with force
Crack
To change rapidly in register.
His voice cracked with emotion.
Crash
To take a sudden and severe turn for the worse; to rapidly deteriorate.
Crack
To alternate between high and low register in the process of eventually lowering.
His voice finally cracked when he was fourteen.
Crash
To make a sudden loud noise.
Thunder crashed directly overhead.
Crack
(intransitive) To make a sharply humorous comment.
"I would too, with a face like that," she cracked.
Crash
To break in pieces violently; to dash together with noise and violence.
He shakt his head, and crasht his teeth for ire.
Crack
To realize that one is transgender.
She cracked at age 22 and came out to her friends and family over the next few months.
Crash
To make a loud, clattering sound, as of many things falling and breaking at once; to break in pieces with a harsh noise.
Roofs were blazing and walls crashing in every part of the city.
Crack
(transitive) To make a crack or cracks in.
The ball cracked the window.
Crash
To break with violence and noise; as, the chimney in falling crashed through the roof.
Crack
(transitive) To break open or crush to small pieces by impact or stress.
You'll need a hammer to crack a black walnut.
Crash
A loud, sudden, confused sound, as of many things falling and breaking at once.
The wreck of matter and the crash of worlds.
Crack
(transitive) To strike forcefully.
She cracked him over the head with her handbag.
Crash
Ruin; failure; sudden breaking down, as of a business house or a commercial enterprise.
Crack
(transitive) To open slightly.
Could you please crack the window?
Crash
Coarse, heavy, narrow linen cloth, used esp. for towels.
Crack
To cause to yield under interrogation or other pressure.
They managed to crack him on the third day.
Crash
A loud resonant repeating noise;
He could hear the clang of distant bells
Crack
To solve a difficult problem.
I've finally cracked it, and of course the answer is obvious in hindsight.
Crash
A serious accident (usually involving one or more vehicles);
They are still investigating the crash of the TWA plane
Crack
(transitive) To overcome a security system or component.
It took a minute to crack the lock, three minutes to crack the security system, and about twenty minutes to crack the safe.
They finally cracked the code.
Crash
A sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
Crack
(transitive) To cause to make a sharp sound.
To crack a whip
Crash
The act of colliding with something;
His crash through the window
The fullback's smash into the defensive line
Crack
(transitive) To tell (a joke).
The performance was fine until he cracked that dead baby joke.
Crash
(computer science) an event that causes a computer system to become inoperative;
The crash occurred during a thunderstorm and the system has been down ever since
Crack
To break down (a complex molecule), especially with the application of heat: to pyrolyse.
Acetone is cracked to ketene and methane at 700°C.
Crash
Fall or come down violently;
The branch crashed down on my car
The plane crashed in the sea
Crack
To circumvent software restrictions such as regional coding or time limits.
That software licence will expire tomorrow unless we can crack it.
Crash
Move with, or as if with, a crashing noise;
The car crashed through the glass door
Crack
To open a canned beverage, or any packaged drink or food.
I'd love to crack open a beer.
Let's crack a tube and watch the game.
Crash
Undergo damage or destruction on impact;
The plane crashed into the ocean
The car crashed into the lamp post
Crack
(obsolete) To brag; to boast.
Crash
Move violently as through a barrier;
The terrorists crashed the gate
Crack
To be ruined or impaired; to fail.
Crash
Break violently or noisily; smash;
Crack
(colloquial) To barely reach, attain to (a measurement, extent).
An underground band that never cracked the Hot 100
Crash
Occupy, usually uninvited;
My son's friends crashed our house last weekend
Crack
A thin and usually jagged space opened in a previously solid material.
A large crack had formed in the roadway.
Crash
Enter uninvited; informal;
Let's crash the party!
Crack
A narrow opening.
We managed to squeeze through a crack in the rock wall.
Open the door a crack.
Crash
Cause to crash;
The terrorists crashed the car into the gate of the palace
Crack
A sharply humorous comment; a wisecrack.
I didn't appreciate that crack about my hairstyle.
Crash
Hurl or thrust violently;
He dashed the plate against the wall
Waves were dashing against the rock
Crack
(slang) Crack cocaine, a potent, relatively cheap, addictive variety of cocaine; often a rock, usually smoked through a crack-pipe.
Crack head
Crash
Undergo a sudden and severe downturn;
The economy crashed
Will the stock market crash again?
Crack
Something good-tasting or habit-forming.
Crash
Stop operating;
My computer crashed last night
The system goes down at least once a week
Crack
(onomatopoeia) The sharp sound made when solid material breaks.
The crack of the falling branch could be heard for miles.
Crash
Sleep in a convenient place;
You can crash here, though it's not very comfortable
Crack
(onomatopoeia) Any sharp sound.
The crack of the bat hitting the ball.
Crack
A sharp, resounding blow.
Crack
(informal) An attempt at something.
I'd like to take a crack at that game.
Crack
Vagina.
Crack
(informal) The space between the buttocks.
Pull up your pants! Your crack is showing.
Crack
Conviviality; fun; good conversation, chat, gossip, or humorous storytelling; good company.
The party was great crack.
Crack
Business; events; news.
What's the crack?
What's this crack about a possible merger?
Crack
(computing) A program or procedure designed to circumvent restrictions or usage limits on software.
Has anyone got a crack for DocumentWriter 3.0?
Crack
An expanding circle of white water surrounding the site of a large explosion at shallow depth, marking the progress of the shock wave through the air above the water.A nuclear explosion in shallow water; the crack is clearly visible on the water's surface.
Crack
A meaningful chat.
Crack
(Internet slang) Extremely silly, absurd or off-the-wall ideas or prose.
Crack
The tone of voice when changed at puberty.
Crack
(archaic) A mental flaw; a touch of craziness; partial insanity.
He has a crack.
Crack
(archaic) A crazy or crack-brained person.
Crack
(obsolete) A boast; boasting.
Crack
(obsolete) Breach of chastity.
Crack
(obsolete) A boy, generally a pert, lively boy.
Crack
A brief time; an instant; a jiffy.
I'll be with you in a crack.
Crack
(obsolete) One who excels; the best.
Crack
Highly trained and competent.
Even a crack team of investigators would have trouble solving this case.
Crack
Excellent, first-rate, superior, top-notch.
She's a crack shot with that rifle.
Crack
To break or burst, with or without entire separation of the parts; as, to crack glass; to crack nuts.
Crack
To rend with grief or pain; to affect deeply with sorrow; hence, to disorder; to distract; to craze.
O, madam, my old heart is cracked.
He thought none poets till their brains were cracked.
Crack
To cause to sound suddenly and sharply; to snap; as, to crack a whip.
Crack
To utter smartly and sententiously; as, to crack a joke.
Crack
To cry up; to extol; - followed by up.
Crack
To burst or open in chinks; to break, with or without quite separating into parts.
By misfortune it cracked in the coling.
The mirror cracked from side to side.
Crack
To be ruined or impaired; to fail.
The credit . . . of exchequers cracks, when little comes in and much goes out.
Crack
To utter a loud or sharp, sudden sound.
As thunder when the clouds in autumn crack.
Crack
To utter vain, pompous words; to brag; to boast; - with of.
Ethoipes of their sweet complexion crack.
Crack
A partial separation of parts, with or without a perceptible opening; a chink or fissure; a narrow breach; a crevice; as, a crack in timber, or in a wall, or in glass.
Crack
Rupture; flaw; breach, in a moral sense.
My love to thee is sound, sans crack or flaw.
Crack
A sharp, sudden sound or report; the sound of anything suddenly burst or broken; as, the crack of a falling house; the crack of thunder; the crack of a whip.
Will the stretch out to the crack of doom?
Crack
The tone of voice when changed at puberty.
Though now our voicesHave got the mannish crack.
Crack
Mental flaw; a touch of craziness; partial insanity; as, he has a crack.
Crack
A crazy or crack-brained person.
I . . . can not get the Parliament to listen to me, who look upon me as a crack and a projector.
Crack
A boast; boasting.
Crack
Breach of chastity.
Crack
A boy, generally a pert, lively boy.
Val. 'T is a noble child. Vir. A crack, madam.
Crack
A brief time; an instant; as, to be with one in a crack.
Crack
Free conversation; friendly chat.
What is crack in English? . . . A crack is . . . a chat with a good, kindly human heart in it.
Crack
A witty remark; a wisecrack.
Crack
A chance or opportunity to do something; an attempt; as, I'll take a crack at it.
Crack
A form of cocaine, highly purified and prepared as small pellets, especially suitable for smoking; - also called rock. Used in this form it appears to be more addicting than cocaine powder.
Crack
Of superior excellence; having qualities to be boasted of; as, a crack shot.
One of our crack speakers in the Commons.
Crack
A long narrow opening
Crack
A narrow opening;
He opened the window a crack
Crack
A long narrow depression in a surface
Crack
A sudden sharp noise;
The crack of a whip
He heard the cracking of the ice
He can hear the snap of a twig
Crack
A chance to do something;
He wanted a shot at the champion
Crack
Witty remark
Crack
A blemish resulting from a break without complete separation of the parts;
There was a crack in the mirror
Crack
A purified and potent form of cocaine that is smoked rather than snorted
Crack
A usually brief attempt;
He took a crack at it
I gave it a whirl
Crack
The act of cracking something
Crack
Become fractured; break or crack on the surface only;
The glass cracked when it was heated
Crack
Make a very sharp explosive sound;
His gun cracked
Crack
Make a sharp sound;
His fingers snapped
Crack
Hit forcefully; deal a hard blow, making a cracking noise;
The teacher cracked him across the face with a ruler
Crack
Pass through (a barrier);
Registrations cracked through the 30,000 mark in the county
Crack
Break partially but keep its integrity;
The glass cracked
Crack
Break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension;
The rope snapped
Crack
Suffer a nervous breakdown
Crack
Tell spontaneously;
Crack a joke
Crack
Cause to become cracked;
Heat and light cracked the back of the leather chair
Crack
Reduce (petroleum) to a simpler compound by cracking
Crack
Break into simpler molecules by means of heat;
The petroleum cracked
Crack
Of the highest quality;
An ace reporter
A crack shot
A first-rate golfer
A super party
Played top-notch tennis
An athlete in tiptop condition
She is absolutely tops
Common Curiosities
A sudden failure of a computer system.
My computer crashed right before I saved my document.
A loud sound produced by a collision.
The crash of the two trucks could be heard miles away.
To fall or come down forcefully.
The vase crashed to the floor and shattered.
To decline suddenly and dramatically.
The stock market crashed, wiping out millions in value.
To collide violently with another object.
The car crashed into the tree during the storm.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
