crabbed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of crabbednext
as in sullen

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crabbed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of crab
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word crabbed different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of crabbed are gloomy, glum, morose, saturnine, sulky, sullen, and surly. While all these words mean "showing a forbidding or disagreeable mood," crabbed applies to a forbidding morose harshness of manner.

the school's notoriously crabbed headmaster

In what contexts can gloomy take the place of crabbed?

The synonyms gloomy and crabbed are sometimes interchangeable, but gloomy implies a depression in mood making for seeming sullenness or glumness.

a gloomy mood ushered in by bad news

When might glum be a better fit than crabbed?

While in some cases nearly identical to crabbed, glum suggests a silent dispiritedness.

a glum candidate left to ponder a stunning defeat

How do morose and glum relate to one another, in the sense of crabbed?

Morose adds to glum an element of bitterness or misanthropy.

morose job seekers who are inured to rejection

When is saturnine a more appropriate choice than crabbed?

The meanings of saturnine and crabbed largely overlap; however, saturnine describes a heavy forbidding aspect or suggests a bitter disposition.

a saturnine cynic always finding fault

When can sulky be used instead of crabbed?

In some situations, the words sulky and crabbed are roughly equivalent. However, sulky suggests childish resentment expressed in peevish sullenness.

grew sulky after every spat

When is it sensible to use sullen instead of crabbed?

The words sullen and crabbed are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sullen implies a silent ill humor and a refusal to be sociable.

remained sullen amid the festivities

When would surly be a good substitute for crabbed?

While the synonyms surly and crabbed are close in meaning, surly implies gruffness and sullenness of speech or manner.

a typical surly teenager

How is the word crabbed different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of crabbed are gloomy, glum, morose, saturnine, sulky, sullen, and surly. While all these words mean "showing a forbidding or disagreeable mood," crabbed applies to a forbidding morose harshness of manner.

the school's notoriously crabbed headmaster

In what contexts can gloomy take the place of crabbed?

The synonyms gloomy and crabbed are sometimes interchangeable, but gloomy implies a depression in mood making for seeming sullenness or glumness.

a gloomy mood ushered in by bad news

When might glum be a better fit than crabbed?

While in some cases nearly identical to crabbed, glum suggests a silent dispiritedness.

a glum candidate left to ponder a stunning defeat

How do morose and glum relate to one another, in the sense of crabbed?

Morose adds to glum an element of bitterness or misanthropy.

morose job seekers who are inured to rejection

When is saturnine a more appropriate choice than crabbed?

The meanings of saturnine and crabbed largely overlap; however, saturnine describes a heavy forbidding aspect or suggests a bitter disposition.

a saturnine cynic always finding fault

When can sulky be used instead of crabbed?

In some situations, the words sulky and crabbed are roughly equivalent. However, sulky suggests childish resentment expressed in peevish sullenness.

grew sulky after every spat

When is it sensible to use sullen instead of crabbed?

The words sullen and crabbed are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sullen implies a silent ill humor and a refusal to be sociable.

remained sullen amid the festivities

When would surly be a good substitute for crabbed?

While the synonyms surly and crabbed are close in meaning, surly implies gruffness and sullenness of speech or manner.

a typical surly teenager

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
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 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
  1. sullen
  2. complained
  3. damaged
  4. disagreeable
  5. screamed
  6. marred
  7. grumpy
  8. whined
Adjective
  • But the boy had become impatient and sullen, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jacket.
    — Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Although Robbins could be talkative and engaging particularly when discussing his hometown Houston sports teams, there were also periods of sullen silence and self-medication.
    — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of sullen
Verb
  • Putin's security staffers complained about the quality of the men's room serving the bureau.
    — David Folkenflik, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
  • More than two months after the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mom in an apparent kidnapping, residents in Nancy Guthrie's Catalina Foothills neighborhood have complained about vloggers and amateur journalists trespassing, the Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed to USA TODAY.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of complained
Verb
  • Wielding an axe, the 26-year-old Englewood resident damaged the hoods and windows of a dozen cars parked in the lot, causing more than $75,000 in damage, prosecutors said.
    — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
  • This is the 24th Cygnus spacecraft built, but 23rd to launch after the NG-22 mission was canceled when its spacecraft was damaged.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of damaged
Adjective
  • Another bill would put regulations around data centers, although lawmakers in the final days stripped out some of the language that tech companies found disagreeable.
    — Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The day was cold and disagreeable, disappointing those who hoped for warm, sunny weather for the contest between Bogardus and Carver.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Definition of disagreeable
Verb
  • None of that would have screamed sports mogul.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
  • After being placed in a government vehicle, Ferreira Borges allegedly kicked, flailed, and screamed obscenities at officers, officials said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of screamed
Verb
  • But her career has been marred by high-profile incidents — including being photographed in 2007 with a freshly shaven head hitting a car with an umbrella.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Sunday’s vote was marred by delays in distributing electoral materials in several districts of Lima, forcing authorities to extend voting into Monday.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of marred
Adjective
  • The sneak peek also gave a glimpse into the world and psyche of Digger, who is grumpy toward everyone except his elderly pet cat.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
  • What does a squat cartoon Italian plumber have to do with a very, very sleepy and grumpy attending in Pennsylvania?
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of grumpy
Verb
  • Never whined, even as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s play deteriorated last season.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Definition of whined

Browse Nearby Words

crab
crabbed
crabbedness
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Cite this Entry

“Crabbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crabbed. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

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