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
Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
There are only approximately 144 amphibian species that can tolerate very brief exposure to saltwater; this makes the crab-eating frog the most salt-tolerant amphibian known to science.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Nights are spent in a modest four-cabin converted crabbing boat called Ursus.
—Susan Portnoy, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crab
Noun
Other exports, such as Canadian canola meal, lobsters, crabs, and peas will also not be subject to Chinese anti-discrimination tariffs until at least the end of 2026.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
There are only approximately 144 amphibian species that can tolerate very brief exposure to saltwater; this makes the crab-eating frog the most salt-tolerant amphibian known to science.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
Fewer people are working in the industry each year, said Duarte, and crabbing is a difficult industry with a short season, and costly upkeep for boats and traps.
—Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Nights are spent in a modest four-cabin converted crabbing boat called Ursus.
—Susan Portnoy, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crab
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crab
Noun
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According to the National Weather Service website, Groundhog Day has its roots in European weather lore, where a badger or bear is the prognosticator, not a groundhog, and in Candlemas, a day for blessing candles.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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But after two years of constant companionship, the bear was lost during a sleepover, leaving the 7-year-old devastated.—
Seth Carnell,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When Maguire first complained about the extra charges, the nurse practitioner wasn't aware the hospital fees were being assessed.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
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Critics also complain that Dodge, known for its muscle cars, muffed its transition to hybrid power systems.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Regarding the third issue, cracking indicates the spark plug is damaged beyond repair and must be replaced.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
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His own home was seriously damaged in the fire, forcing him to live elsewhere for the past year, and his mother-in-law’s home was destroyed.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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If family needs cause drama, set kind boundaries and explain them to any complainers.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
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The faculty experience has been that administrations often side with the complainers.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Beach’s daughter screamed to responding officers that her children were wounded inside.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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Let’s talk about the Black Banquet and Yam Yam screaming your name.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The policies cover fires but not common perils such as water damage or liability if someone is injured on a property.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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One person was injured Monday evening after a vehicle crashed into a business in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Turning the crank handle on the right-hand side of the set launches the rocket upwards, with the booster rockets splitting off not long after take-off.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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There’s a cast of wanderers, visionaries, and itinerants, the self-educated and self-published, a long lineage of cranks and outcasts, mostly penurious, always opinionated, stretching away into the mists of pseudohistory.—
Hari Kunzru,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But students who are spending their time protesting, whining about the grading system and seeking easy classes don’t seem to fit that mold.—
Mitch Zimmer,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
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The children jumped for joy after winning a game of cornhole; others fell and whined in defeat, but got up to play again.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crab. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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