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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cranky
Poor sleep leads to more than just crankiness A cranky kid after a bad night’s sleep is bad enough.
—
Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Parents who live in several specific parts of the country do not have to spend two weeks a year dealing with extra-cranky kids.
—Rosie Colosi, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026
If Elvis was ever cranky, that’s been stripped out.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 28 Feb. 2026
And what of Morrison’s famously cranky reputation?
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Parents who live in several specific parts of the country do not have to spend two weeks a year dealing with extra-cranky kids.
—Rosie Colosi, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026
If Elvis was ever cranky, that’s been stripped out.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 28 Feb. 2026
And what of Morrison’s famously cranky reputation?
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cranky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cranky
Adjective
-
Even young Oklahoma City required a clumsy postseason audition.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The driver and his accomplice then mounted a clumsy getaway that resulted in their scooter crashing about three blocks from the scene, cops said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
From the dramatic adolescent to the unpredictable PMS-ing woman to the irritable menopausal crone, unattractive stereotypes of women ruled by their hormones abound.—
Patricia Bencivenga,
STAT,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Caroly is immediately affected, glued to the TV; John, suddenly irritable, retreats.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In Nazi Germany, the regime understood that nothing unites a restless population faster than a common enemy.—
Steven Burg,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
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There, the pioneers—practical, inventive, restless, exuberant white men—clashed with Indigenous peoples, subduing them and a wilderness filled with wild animals and abundant natural resources.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a funny reason why the pain flares in your upper face and forehead, a bit of a distance from the area responsible for the cold.—
Julia Daye,
Popular Science,
2 Apr. 2026
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As funny as her life seems, like everyone's, serious moments pepper the comedy.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Mary Washington’s Kye Robinson attempted an awkward, off-balance shot that missed the rim and landed in the hands of teammate Colin Mitchell under the basket.—
Michael Cunningham,
AJC.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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Porsha shuts down any further messy conversations, choosing instead to focus on being a good host, ending the night with an awkward kiss with her fake boyfriend.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Is Cronin a mad genius, or just a grumpy, old man coaching basketball?—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
-
If your child acts grumpy and tired after school, wait to ask them how their day was.—
Margery D. Rosen,
Parents,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The troubled production resulted in a bizarre cyberpunk schlock-flick that felt far removed from what most fans understood Mario to be.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Since the border is not straight but snakes along old county lines, some of the journey was bizarre.—
Colm Tóibín,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The compact electromagnetic launcher features a 12-inch barrel and is light enough to be comfortably held and operated with one hand, allowing for greater mobility and ease of use in tight or urban environments where traditional firearms or larger coil guns would be cumbersome.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Apr. 2026
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The researchers received the feedback in a meeting with FDA reviewers to discuss a potential study of custom treatments using prime editors, a more complex and cumbersome gene editing technology that can treat a much wider range of genetic misspellings.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cranky. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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