1
as in clumsy
difficult to use or operate especially because of size, weight, or design
that old typewriter is handy sometimes, but rather cranky these days
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
the baby was cranky after not being fed for hours
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3
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
if cranky children don't appreciate what they already have, then they shouldn't get a thing more
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4
as in funny
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
that's just another of his cranky theories about the CIA
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5
as in psychotic
dialect
having or showing a very abnormal or sick state of mind
the man would inflict on innocent bystanders his cranky ruminations on world events
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cranky
Michael Ritchie’s hilarious classic features a cranky boozer (Walter Matthau at his best) coaching a batch of bad-news Little Leaguers, one played by Tatum O’Neal.
—
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025
Frequently at odds with his cranky dad (Darren McGavin) but comforted by his doting mother (Melinda Dillon), Ralphie struggles to make it to Christmas Day with his glasses and his hopes intact.
—Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 11 Dec. 2024
Whatever cranky conservative quip Allen fires off is sanded down by the balance Dennings brings to the breakfast table.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Next up is the cat-cow, a dynamic yoga pose that’s great for mobilizing your lower back, which can get cranky after long periods of staying still.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025
Frequently at odds with his cranky dad (Darren McGavin) but comforted by his doting mother (Melinda Dillon), Ralphie struggles to make it to Christmas Day with his glasses and his hopes intact.
—Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 11 Dec. 2024
Whatever cranky conservative quip Allen fires off is sanded down by the balance Dennings brings to the breakfast table.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Next up is the cat-cow, a dynamic yoga pose that’s great for mobilizing your lower back, which can get cranky after long periods of staying still.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
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The character first appears in the franchise’s original film Scream (1996) as the older brother of Tatum Riley (Rose McGowan) and the clumsy police deputy trying to help solve the murders in their town of Woodsboro.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2025
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Aviles’ dismissal, for a clumsy challenge on the edge of the penalty area, seemed set to turn the game.—
Martin Rogers,
The Athletic,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Cold exposure is particularly helpful for those who have irritable skin through the constriction of blood vessels, alleviating swelling and flushes.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
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The elderly single mom, played with an irritable, bone-deep bitterness by Irish actor Fiona Shaw, has spent the past few years paralyzed by an illness no one can diagnose.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The restless mass of the glacier, constantly on the move, regularly sent atomic blasts down the ridge.—
Cassidy Randall,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2025
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Malnourished people are restless people, searching far and wide for a better life.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Know your audience—What one person finds funny, another might not.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
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Not the most memorable, but Myers’s flail-laughing at his own insufferable jokes remains a pretty funny encapsulation of Musk’s self-satisfied riffing.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The counselor also told police Trotman had had a previous psychotic break in which he was found wandering the woods.—
Peter Hermann,
Washington Post,
7 Feb. 2023
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Lewis prescribed Price anti-psychotic medication after a mental health referral Sept. 1.—
Thomas Saccente,
Arkansas Online,
17 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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However, whether the friendship will survive the awkward gift exchange remains to be seen.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
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When Anne Hathaway co-hosted the ceremony with James Franco in 2012, it was widely panned as the Academy's awkward attempt to attract younger viewers.—
Lucia Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The best picture-winning boxing drama paired up-and-coming boxer Maggie (Hilary Swank) with grumpy reluctant coach Frankie (Clint Eastwood).—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
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The pair meet after the guy picks up a prescription for an extremely gnarly black eye, setting off a whirlwind romance that’s inevitably disrupted by — what else? — a grumpy parent.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The bizarre case of Luigi Mangione should also be considered a needless stain on Baltimore.—
Baltimore Sun Editorial Board,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Mar. 2025
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The bizarre incident occurred early Tuesday when authorities say a man hopped a metal fence of a home in the 900 block of Wakefield Avenue and set fire to a black sedan in the front yard.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to cranky
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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