as in sullen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in complained
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 damaged
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 crabbed
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Tár, though, displays little more than crabbed irritability and self-serving cynicism.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2022
This is a truly crabbed and reductive view of the man and his work.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2021
Guston’s searingly funny caricatures of Richard M. Nixon and his corrupt White House cronies, drawn mostly in short, crabbed lines, have been exhibited only twice before — once in Manhattan (2016) and once in London (2017).
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2019
No one can accuse this Court of having a crabbed view of the reach of its competence.
—WSJ, 27 June 2019
The core error here is the Texas Supreme Court’s crabbed understanding of Obergefell.
—Dale Carpenter, Washington Post, 2 July 2017
Adjective
This is a crabbed and mendacious interpretation of the law.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Tár, though, displays little more than crabbed irritability and self-serving cynicism.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2022
This is a truly crabbed and reductive view of the man and his work.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2021
Guston’s searingly funny caricatures of Richard M. Nixon and his corrupt White House cronies, drawn mostly in short, crabbed lines, have been exhibited only twice before — once in Manhattan (2016) and once in London (2017).
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2019
No one can accuse this Court of having a crabbed view of the reach of its competence.
—WSJ, 27 June 2019
The core error here is the Texas Supreme Court’s crabbed understanding of Obergefell.
—Dale Carpenter, Washington Post, 2 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crabbed
Adjective
-
Flowers brighter than the rose bloomed in the blackest of the heath for her; out of a sullen hollow in a livid hillside her mind could make an Eden.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
6 June 2025
-
When this long, difficult, rewarding and validating Minnesota Timberwolves season came to a crashing halt Wednesday in Oklahoma City, a sullen group of players and coaches filed into the locker room to come to grips with it all.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
When the goal was not overturned by the video assistant referee (VAR) review system, Tottenham’s senior assistant coach Matt Wells complained to the fourth official along with Sergio Reguilon, one of their substitutes.—
Jay Harris,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Kirby Smart complained about the call afterward but seemed to misinterpret what being set over the ball meant.—
Pete Sampson,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Befriending Cressida Cowper is a respectable exercise in recognizing biases, but the pair’s interactions are as disagreeable as those bangs.—
Zoe Haylock,
Vulture,
16 May 2024
-
If Alex has a bit more credibility, not being as intractable in her positions, both have a tendency to come off as disagreeable in their incessant bickering and self-righteousness.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Lennon's notoriously troubled upbringing was marred by paternal abandonment, frequent moves, and the sudden death of those closest to him, including his estranged mother Julia.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Irene’s fiercely protective husband, Hank (Geoffrey Wade), an arch religious conservative, is too grumpy.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
-
All the usual fun Indy stuff is here – Nazis, treasured artifacts – though the bantering chemistry between Ford's hard-luck hero and Sean Connery as his grumpy dad is off-the-hook spectacular.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Their father was also injured and was taken to a hospital for treatment, but he is expected to recover, police said.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The passengers went to a hospital, but nobody was seriously injured.—
Patrick McGeehan,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This is exactly the productive, surly, still-in-his-prime player this team needs down the middle.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
-
Rostov is exiled to the servants’ quarters in the attic, stripped of most of his possessions, and is kept under constant surveillance by a surly KGB operative (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson).—
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
His vengeance included turning Michigan State in for NCAA violations, leading to probation that crippled the program until the late 1970s.—
Joe Rexrode,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
-
As the city litigated and revised the environmental impact report, two devastating storms in December 2023 and February 2024 — the same series that crippled San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier — substantially damaged the wharf.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Crabbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crabbed. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share