as in bear
an irritable and complaining person
you're always such a crab in the morning!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to complain
to express dissatisfaction, pain, or resentment usually tiresomely
their two-year-old whined and crabbed for the whole car trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
crabbed the blossoming romance by becoming moody and demanding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crab
Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
As omnivores, North American river otters eat fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Saleen Martin, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Officials believed Rajaniemi was alone and had been crabbing in the area, a Coast Guard official told The Press Democrat.
—Sacbee.com, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crab
Noun
Other offerings will include shrimp kebabs, lobster and crab rice and seafood mac.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
As omnivores, North American river otters eat fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
Remains found on a beach in southwestern Washington in 2006 have been identified through DNA analysis as a former Oregon mayor who authorities think drowned while crabbing.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
Officials believed Rajaniemi was alone and had been crabbing in the area, a Coast Guard official told The Press Democrat.
—Sacbee.com, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crab
Noun
-
Rangers responded to three incidents involving bears along Ramsey Cascades Trail, a popular hike to a waterfall, and three more on Abrams Falls Trail, which is another waterfall hike, according to the park service.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Two popular trails have been closed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to aggressive bears, including one who chased after hikers, according to the National Park Service.—
Mark Price
April 21,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Elsewhere, Super Mario Galaxy is hardly complaining about coming in second ruling the roost for weeks, since it’s now focused on becoming the first film of the year to join the billion-dollar club after finishing Sunday with a global total of $871 million.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Commenters who never have been — and never will go — complain about the cost, the influencers, the hype.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Data from the German Aerospace Center, which analyzes global development, cross-referenced with images from ICEYE and Vantor show that buildings making up the peripheries of the cities damaged by this year’s fires mostly sprang up in the 2000s and 2010s.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The pervasive popularity of the show and its creator will be the reason the complainers have no voice.—
Rich Heldenfels,
Boston Herald,
22 Mar. 2026
-
An energy vampire has bad body language, the complaining look on their face, the vocal complainer.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There are so, so many screaming questions that nobody will ever have answers to.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The reveal is pretty hilarious with everyone screaming and scrambling around like cartoon characters.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The shootings took place at multiple locations early Sunday morning, leaving eight children dead, two adult women wounded -- the mothers of his children -- and another woman and child injured.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Police said that the child who was attacked was injured and was taken to UPMC Children's Hospital for treatment.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In any case, the TM-B defining feature is the software that sits between the cranks and the motor, shaping the whole cycling experience.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Most of these use a hand crank to churn, which can be a novelty at first, but a drag as the process wears on.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the other end, the Rockets were a complete mess, dissolving in two whining technical fouls in the third quarter that sealed their fate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
-
This is why all the whining and complaining from small market teams across the sport is manipulative nonsense.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crab. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
