cracked

In gaming slang, cracked means extremely skilled, so good it almost seems unfair. A cracked player has fast reactions, sharp aim and mechanics most people can’t match.

What does cracked mean?

Calling someone cracked is high praise. It suggests their skill is a little unbelievable, as if they had broken the game. The word is especially common in shooters and battle royale games like Fortnite, Valorant and Apex Legends, and in clips of pro players and streamers pulling off impossible plays.

You can be cracked at one specific thing (“she’s cracked at sniping”), and the word has spread beyond games: people are cracked at coding, chess, math or even cooking.

How to use it

• “That kid is twelve and absolutely cracked at Fortnite.”
• “Did you see that flick? He’s cracked.”
• “She’s cracked at spreadsheets. Did the whole budget in ten minutes.”
• “I’m not cracked, I just got lucky that round.”

Don’t mix it up

Older slang uses “cracked” to mean crazy (“have you gone cracked?”), and “cracked” software is pirated software with its protection removed. In a gaming conversation about a player, though, it almost always means very, very good.

Related terms

• goated: one of the greatest
• sweaty: playing with intense effort
• clutch: performing under pressure
• hard carry: single-handedly winning for your team
• smurf: a skilled player on a new account

See more terms like this in our gaming slang dictionary.