1
as in irritable
easily irritated or annoyed
a crabby old dog who snapped at passersby
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restless
given to complaining a lot
a bunch of crabby kids who don't want to do any work
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crabby
Take the Lishman’s Deli sketch, in which Murphy’s Gumby character — the green clay stop-motion figure reimagined as a crabby Borscht Belt has-been — trades insults with a gang of alter kockers played by Crystal, Guest and Short, who reminisce and argue about sandwiches named for celebrities.
—
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
This time, however, she is joined by a crew consisting of an enthusiastic young engineer, a crabby senior farmer and a history-preserving storyteller.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Nov. 2024
What Kate will not thank him for is being a big crabby baby about her relationship with Dennison.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
There were fish living in the ice and thousands of mating pairs of these giant crustaceans dropping out of crevices on top of us, like giant crabby spiders.
—Jill Heinerth, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for crabby
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
This time, however, she is joined by a crew consisting of an enthusiastic young engineer, a crabby senior farmer and a history-preserving storyteller.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 26 Nov. 2024
What Kate will not thank him for is being a big crabby baby about her relationship with Dennison.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
There were fish living in the ice and thousands of mating pairs of these giant crustaceans dropping out of crevices on top of us, like giant crabby spiders.
—Jill Heinerth, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for crabby
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crabby
Adjective
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Instead, Helen is allowed to be irritable and anti-social, chain-smoking and snappish, without the filmmaker casting judgment.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
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If you are rushed or irritable, say so.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Despite its importance, many of us still wrestle with insomnia, restless nights or mornings that leave us feeling less than refreshed.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
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Children who have experienced traumatic stress may be restless, fidgety, or have trouble paying attention and staying organized, symptoms often confused with ADHD.—
Patricia Fersch,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Leading up to kickoff of Belichick’s debut at Chapel Hill, college football, this community and certainly the TV networks were thrilled with the prospect of this grouchy old man turning an irrelevant football team into something worth watching.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Sep. 2025
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When Vivian Powers went to foster a new kitten, she was pulled in by a cat's grouchy face.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Even those that do work with them seem grumpy about it, like Frankenstein star Jacob Elordi wishing his Guillermo Del Toro picture would get more than the three-week run Netflix is giving it.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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Sebastian Rousseau is a grumpy pilot who is entirely too good with his hands, not to mention sexy AF.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Sanders was certainly displeased after the loss to the Yellow Jackets.—
Shane Shoemaker,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
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Expert weighs in Fain is under a critical gaze and a barrage of criticism, with a watchdog monitor on one side and displeased members charging from the other.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Music writers used to have a reputation for being much crankier than the average listener.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
2 Sep. 2025
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The experts think fiat money is mature and serious and the gold standard cranky, weird, and atavistic.—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Trying to Kill Each Other' And Walken is marvelous — querulous, petty, cruel — as the Emperor.—
Tom Gliatto,
Peoplemag,
29 Feb. 2024
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Instead, Gerwig and Baumbach promote querulous sloganeering.—
Armond White,
National Review,
19 July 2023
Adjective
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Against Świątek, in two nervous moments, one of them on match point, net cords had given her safe harbor.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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The district’s disparate parts would be connected largely by two-lane highways cutting through steep slopes of places such as the Modoc National Forest, where nervous drivers must beware of a lack of guardrails.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crabby.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crabby. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
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