as in bear
an irritable and complaining person
you're always such a crab in the morning!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of crab
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 May 2026
The warm, clubbish room, with wood paneling, leather banquettes, brass accents and a fireplace, embodies the designer’s classic Americana aesthetic, as does the menu featuring burgers, crab cakes and a raw bar.
—Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Rebekah F. Ward, Houston Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for crab
Noun
Nothing screams summer on the Southern east coast like a classic, family-style crab boil.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 May 2026
The warm, clubbish room, with wood paneling, leather banquettes, brass accents and a fireplace, embodies the designer’s classic Americana aesthetic, as does the menu featuring burgers, crab cakes and a raw bar.
—Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Verb
Corpus Christi lessons Joey Palermo also lives along the shore and does his share of fishing, crabbing and shrimping.
—Rebekah F. Ward, Houston Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for crab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crab
Noun
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Here, references to bears (in Bruin’s name, Colin’s fur suit, and Doane’s favorite hockey team), the talismanic power of household appliances, and the sunken earth keep recurring.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
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Arriving guests can be greeted by elephants at reception, before taking in tigers, bears, leopards, and hundreds of bird species on game drives.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, a parent of an underage Vibe customer also complained to authorities that his 17-year-old son and his son's friend were able to purchase kratom products with a fake ID and, at times, without an ID at all.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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Residents near the Plaskolite site have long complained about odors from the plant, according to an air monitoring study sponsored by the state.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Firefighters had to cut open the metal drop box to extinguish the fire, and numerous ballots inside were damaged, some charred beyond recognition.—
Jasmine Mendez
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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Scientists theorize that exposing flowering tomato plants to temperatures below 50°F damages the flowers.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 May 2026
Noun
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However, the Lakers are complainers to begin with and have always gotten a favorable whistle.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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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
Verb
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On the witness stand, the teenager was reportedly combative and flustered by Jackson’s attorney Tom Mesereau, who attempted to poke holes in Gavin’s testimony and allegedly screamed at the boy throughout.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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Jay practically embarrassed Mase, then a pop rapper at Bad Boy Records, not by screaming but by sounding amused.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Additionally, a jury found Pasqual guilty of first-degree residential burglary and multiple counts of injuring a spouse, cohabitant, fiance's, boyfriend, girlfriend or child's parent.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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Overnight into Tuesday, waves of drones and missiles struck the capital, killing and injuring civilians and damaging homes, businesses and public buildings.—
Polina Lytvynova,
NPR,
2 June 2026
Noun
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With a turn of a crank, Edison astonished the dozen or so staffers who had gathered around the contraption.—
Ron Cowen,
Scientific American,
3 June 2026
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Visitors will be welcomed to visit the pop-up book and rotate a crank that flips through the pages, providing a behind-the-scenes look into what makes Philly’s Chinatown so vibrant.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
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These plays all scratch the same exact itch of, say, watching Bachelorette hunks get hooked up to a lie detector or watching Mike White whine about the lack of fine cuisine on Survivor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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And how about the Liberty players and coaches whining about it?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crab. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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