crankier; crankiest
1
a
: given to fretful fussiness : readily angered when opposed : crotchety
Our long wait … left us a tad cranky.Connecticut
b
: marked by eccentricity
… his bizarre and cranky mix of ideas and beliefs …R. J. Evans
2
: full of twists and turns : tortuous
a cranky road
3
: working erratically : unpredictable
a cranky old tractor
4
dialect : silly, eccentric
crankily adverb
crankiness noun

cranky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

of a boat

Examples of cranky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Dining early is better than later, for instance, and in cases where kids are cranky or hangry, adults should ask to have their food come out first. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 The story begins with a cranky new coworker whom Breuer wanted to prank by pretending to be Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on a phone call. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 4 Jan. 2024 David plays an exaggerated version of himself as a cranky, semi-retired television writer and producer with a total disregard for social conventions. Kelly Martinez, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2024 But the only thing more obnoxious than a cranky TSA agent or seatmate with bare feet is flying with a bad back. Erica Sweeney, SELF, 26 Feb. 2024 Perverse incentives promote cranky speech, which effectively suppresses thoughtful speech. Jaron Lanier, WIRED, 13 Feb. 2024 In this version, Gonzo inhabits the role of Charles Dickens, the narrator, telling the tale of cranky moneylender Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) as he is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, each offering an opportunity for Scrooge to redeem himself. Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2023 The more the world goes to hell, the more relatable—across generations and identities—his incorrigibly cranky alter ego becomes. TIME, 2 Feb. 2024 The majority of the world is having fun with it, outside all the cranky NFL fans that just don't want to see the Chiefs win. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cranky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

crank entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective (2)

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cranky was in 1821

Dictionary Entries Near cranky

Cite this Entry

“Cranky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cranky. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cranky

adjective
ˈkraŋ-kē
crankier; crankiest
1
: easily angered or irritated
2
: hard to handle
a cranky boat
crankiness
-kē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cranky

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